UM makes marine research expedition to GBA with HKUST and Xiamen University
澳大與港科大廈大開展大灣區海洋科學考察

The University of Macau (UM), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s (HKUST) Centre for Ocean Research in Hong Kong and Macau, and Xiamen University (XU) jointly launched a summer marine research expedition to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area today (28 August). This is the first time that a university in Macao has participated in marine scientific research. This expedition aims to promote disaster prevention and control and marine function research for the sustainable development of Macao’s marine ecosystem. It also hopes to provide data analysis and decision-making support for Macao’s marine spatial planning and to promote diversified development of Macao and the Greater Bay Area.

The expedition was jointly organised by UM’s State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City and Centre for Regional Oceans, HKUST’s Centre for Ocean Research in Hong Kong and Macau, and XU, with 23 researchers participating. It represented an important step in UM’s efforts to initiate marine research in waters surrounding Macao. It also provided a valuable opportunity for local research institutions to conduct marine research.

Yonghua Song said that in order to address the challenges faced by the Macao SAR government in the use of the ocean, marine disaster prevention and control, and protection of the marine environment, UM has always attached great importance to the development of regional oceanology and the training of professionals in the field. The university encourages interdisciplinary research and has identified regional oceanology as a key emerging research field. In order to enhance its research capability to better serve the needs of Macao, the university has been constantly expanding its collaboration with institutions in China and abroad. Song thanked the HKUST’s Centre for Ocean Research in Hong Kong and Macau and the Marine and Water Bureau in Macao for their great support and assistance to this joint expedition.

The Centre for Regional Oceans was established in 2019. It has signed strategic collaboration agreements with a number of marine science and engineering research institutes in the Greater Bay Area, including HKUST, Sun Yat-sen University, the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Authority, and the Pearl River Water Resources Research Institute. The data on marine sediment and water quality obtained from the expedition can be used not only for research on the quality of the marine environment, but also for implementing numerical marine simulations in the Greater Bay Area.

In the future, the centre will continue to provide precise decision-making support for Macao in smart city development, marine disaster prediction, protection of marine environment and ecosystems, and ocean management and planning. It will also train well-rounded talent to contribute to the development of marine science and technology in the Greater Bay Area and the country.

澳門大學與香港科技大學港澳海洋研究中心、廈門大學今（28）日開展粵港澳大灣區夏季海洋綜合性科學考察，圍繞澳門海域、珠江河口、南海北部陸架上升流等海區作深入調查。是次為澳門首次參與的考察，亦是澳大啟動澳門投身大灣區災害防治及周邊海域海洋研究的重要一步，將為澳門海洋功能區劃及海域規劃提供數據分析及決策支撐，以實現澳門海洋生態環境的可持續發展，並助力澳門及大灣區多元發展。

是次考察由澳大智慧城市物聯網國家重點實驗室和區域海洋研究中心，聯同港澳海洋研究中心和廈門大學共同開展，獲海事及水務局支持，參與科研人員共有23名。澳大團隊在澳門青洲塘碼頭登船出發，澳大校長宋永華與港澳海洋研究中心主任甘劍平參與啟航儀式。宋永華表示，因應澳門特區政府對海洋利用、海洋防災減災與海洋環境保護的挑戰及重大需求，澳大高度重視區域海洋的科學發展及人才培養，鼓勵學科交叉，於科研戰略佈局中重點建設區域海洋新興研究領域。為了盡快提升研究水平更好服務澳門發展需要，大學不斷拓展和海內外相關機構的合作。宋永華特別感謝港澳海洋研究中心和澳門海事及水務局對澳大團隊參與這次大灣區海洋聯合科考的大力支持和幫助。

考察團隊將就航經海區的物理—生物地球化學耦合過程，開展綜合性海洋調查。通過對海流、溫鹽、湍流剖面、營養鹽、葉綠素、溶解氧、有機碳、海底沉積物等參數觀測，以獲取澳門海洋環境參數、河口—外海交換通量、珠江河口夏季缺氧問題等信息。調查將加強對大灣區海洋現場數據的長期積累，促進澳門與周邊海洋研究機構的交流與合作，助力澳門海洋科學發展、災害防治及智慧城市建設，為持續推動澳門海域管理及大灣區海洋經濟一體化貢獻力量。

目前，澳大區域海洋研究中心與粵港澳大灣區多家海洋科學與工程研究機構簽署了戰略合作協議，包括香港科技大學、中山大學、南方海洋科學與工程廣東省實驗室（珠海）、港珠澳大橋管理局、珠江水利科學研究院。是次考察所獲得海域沉積物及水質數據，不僅能推動海域環境質量研究，還可用於實施大灣區海洋數值模擬，有助搭建智慧城市混合現實仿真與智能決策平台，以提升珠江河口區域風暴潮、水體黑臭等海洋災害的研究防治預警能力。

澳大於2019年成立區域海洋研究中心，透過深入展開海洋環境、海洋災害、海洋工程領域的前沿課題研究，加強澳門與內地及海外海洋領域的頂尖機構的交流與合作。未來，中心將繼續為本地智慧城市建設、海洋災害預測及海洋生態環境保護、海域管理及規劃提供精準決策支持與複合型人才支撐，為大灣區乃至國家海洋科技發展做出貢獻。