ss 



are advanced later in this chapter. Programs 

 to develop technology specifically applicable 

 to marine programs are advanced in subse- 

 quent chapters of the report. 



Marine Technology in the 

 United States Today 



Like marine science, marine technology is 

 where one finds it, scattered throughout the 

 Nation, supported in a diversity of ways. 

 Contributions to marine technology have 

 come from individual entrepreneurs, special- 

 ized companies, large industries, universities, 

 and the Federal Government. 



Pri\^te industry to date has done the most 

 to develop civil marine technology. Because 

 industi-y concentrates on areas of high eco- 

 nomic return, petroleum exploration and ex- 

 ploitation tex"hnology has led the field. Other 

 important areas in which technological devel- 

 opment has grown rapidly include deep sub- 

 mersibles and the design and installation of 

 desalination plants. There also have been 

 rapid advances in- merchant ship automation, 

 cargo packaging and handling, and tuna 

 clipper design and equipment. 



The Federal Government's role, apart from 

 that of the Xavy, has been modast. The U.S. 

 Army Corps of Engineers has done the most 



Federal Support for Marine Technology 

 1969 



Source : National Council on Marine Resources and 

 Engineering Development. 



to develop coastal engineering methods, and 

 its Coastal Engineering Research Center is 

 the principal national research institution in 

 this vital field. The Bureau of Commercial 

 Fisheries has carried out valuable but limited 

 development of fisheries technology. For the 

 most part, however, the Federal Government 

 has failed to give serious support to civil 

 marine technology. 



The U.S. Navy, which long has had the 

 largest Federal marine technology program, 

 has produced results usable in many civil 

 fields. The "spin-oif" into the civil economy 

 from naval architecture and ship propulsion 

 research is well known. Valuable information 

 and experience will be derived from Navy 

 man-in-the-sea, deep submersible, and deep 

 ocean technology programs. But it must be 

 kept in mind that the specialized nature of 

 the Navy mission bars a complete integration 

 of Navy and civil interests. Further, the 

 transfer of technological information from 

 Navy sources will always be delayed because 

 security requirements necessitate restrictions 

 upon the public release of information. 



Federal agencies have supported techno- 

 logical development primarily through con- 

 tracts to industry and academic institutions, 

 although some technological development has 

 taken place in Federal laboratories. Most 

 development that has taken place has been 

 mission-oriented; even the Na\-y's programs 

 are not comprehensive. Thus, there is no 

 single agency within the Federal establish- 

 ment with overall responsibility for the sup- 

 port and advancement of marine technology. 

 In consequence, there are insufficient channels 

 in the Nation through which the civil tech- 

 nological needs and interests of industry can 

 be satisfied and industry's active participa- 

 tion in such technological development en- 

 listed. Nor is there any systematic way of 

 recognizing and filling major technological 

 gaps. 



