Labor Minister Ming-Chun Hsu is concerned about the jobs that could be created by the advocacy of green energy in Taiwan and related operation safety issues. She led the staff of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration today (September 5) to Xingda Harbor in Kaohsiung after her visit to the “Offshore Wind Power Generation Plan Phase I - Demonstrative Wind Power Generation Site Project” back in May. This trip was taken to oversee the assembly work of the submarine infrastructure of offshore power-driven generators undertaken by Sing Da Marine Structure Corporation, a subsidiary of China Steel Corporation. 

Sing Da Marine Structure Corporation introduced the manufacturing know-how from firms in Europe. Each submarine structure of the offshore wind-driven generator is 80 meters high and weighs more than 1,200 tons. The scale of the assembly work entails significantly high risk. The project helps to consolidate the effort of more than 20 domestic contractors in the supply chain with an emphasis on upgrading the technology level of the industry chain in local offshore wind power generation. This project also brings about more than 2,000 jobs that attracted most of the concern of Minister Hsu, who also strongly recognized the facility for safety and health in the assembly of submarine infrastructure, which is superior to the technology transfer from the original manufacturers. This helps to bolster occupational safety for the workers. In addition, the biggest crane in Asia was also installed at the heavy-duty dock for this project, which has a loading capacity of 3,000 tons. This installation was set up with reference to the construction module forcefully advocated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration where an assessment of the danger and risk has been conducted before proceeding to the stepwise modulation works. This arrangement could effectively help to improve the work environment of offshore wind power generation featuring high risk and heavy loading.

Minister Hsu expects Sing Da Marine Structure Corporation can carry on the quality corporate culture of China Steel Corporation and properly manage occupational safety and health, and plays the role as the pioneer to attract more investment of resources into the industry of green energy, upgrade the standard of safety and health management for the performance of corporate social responsibility. At the same time, this project is expected to strengthen the capacity in energy diversification and self-sufficiency that drive further domestic demand and employment opportunities.