New $60m marine science institute launched to help Singapore, region with ocean challenges

On September 22, Singapore officially launched the National Institute of Marine and Ocean Sciences, or NIMOS, a $60 million national research initiative aimed at helping the city-state and the broader South-East Asian region tackle challenges ranging from coastal development to climate change. NIMOS was established by the National Parks Board (NParks) in collaboration with the National University of Singapore (NUS).

The institute's director, Huang Danwei, a coral biologist, highlighted the importance of NIMOS in light of the many changes expected in Singapore's sea spaces and the stress being placed on the waters of South-East Asia by coastal development and climate change. Huang pointed to the recently announced plans to merge several Southern islands to reclaim a new western island for industry, energy, and defence needs as an example of how collaboration between scientists and government agencies will be crucial for securing a sustainable sea space for Singapore.

NIMOS is set to operate as a virtual institute while its permanent facilities are being developed, with a home planned on the NUS campus. The institute will focus on developing tools that will enable marine ecosystems to withstand multiple stressors while continuing to provide essential services, such as improving water quality and supporting marine life populations. Over the next decade, NUS and the institute will offer 22 postdoctoral research scholarships to foster local expertise and projects.

Singapore's Minister for National Development, Chee Hong Tat, emphasized that NIMOS will help the Republic make informed decisions about how to use its limited marine space in the face of growing demands. He noted that understanding, protecting, and managing the waters around Singapore will become increasingly important as the demands on limited marine space continue to grow.