Background
Since its organization in 1968, the Marine Facilities Panel has been an active group within the UJNR. Panel members have advanced technology and shared expertise in assessing, developing, and utilizing the oceans and their resources.

Types of Exchanges
The panel meets every 18 months at sites alternating between the United States and Japan to exchange information and visit marine facilities and projects. Exchange topics have included ocean and coastal engineering; facilities and techniques for ocean resource exploration and development; advanced ship technology and marine transporation; undersea systems, submersibles, and remote-operated vehicles; ocean-space utilization, artifical islands, and floating cities; ocean environmental systems; and pollution control, including waste management.

Accomplishments
The U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Company have collaborated on semisubmersible, small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) ship technology. Mitsui initiated development of this technology based on the U.S. Navy's Kaimalino ship and refined that design to the present 3,000 ton Kaiyo.

The Japanese have extended U.S. technological innovation by producing large offshore systems and floating platforms and by advancing ship development.

A close dialogue has been maintained regarding the development of shelf-mounted and floating-platform Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion systems and other ocean energy systems. Research in this area has focused on energy independence and related issues, such as freshwater and mariculture in island communities.

Research information has been exchanged reagarding the effect of icefloes on ships and offshore structures; manned and unmanned undersea vehicles; vehicles operated by remote control; robotics; undersea works systems; and bottom-crawling vehicles.

The U.S. National Science Foundation and Japan's Science and Technology Agency have cosponsored workshops on the following topics: autonomous undersea vehicles and robotics; very large floating platforms and artifical islands; deep-ocean upwelling; and remote imaging for sea-floor surveys.

Japan's Ship Research Institute has cooperated with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to compile an extensive database and issue the report "Winds and Waves of the North Pacific Ocean (1974-1988)". The same institute has also collaborated with the U.S. Maritime Administration on research of intelligent ship systems.

Benefits
The panel has been an excellent vehicle for equitable technical exchanges; avoiding duplicate research; expediting technolgical developments; instituting cooperative projects between government and industry; and stimulating economic growth through scientific advancements.

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