Projects from Zhoushan receive provincial science and technology awards

The annual science and technology awards conference of East China's Zhejiang province is held in Hangzhou, capital of the province, on May 14. [Photo/zj.zjol.com]

Four scientific and technological projects from Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province were awarded at the annual science and technology awards conference of Zhejiang held in Hangzhou, capital of the province, on May 14. 

They include a second prize and three third prizes for scientific and technological progress, and mainly focus on ship engineering, oil industry, marine ecology and technology.

The second prize project is about the key technologies of the emergency towing arrangement (ETA) for ships and is led by the Zhoushan Institute of Calibration and Testing for Quality and Technology Supervision.

Experts say the project deliverables reach international advanced levels.

"The outcome of the project will play a positive role in promoting the development of river-sea intermodal transport, international maritime services and the shipping industry," said Li Cunjun, key member of the project team.

The institute has conducted more than 20 national and provincial technological projects focusing on the oil & gas industrial chain since the establishment of the China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone two years ago, and many deliverables have been successfully applied in the zone's key industries such as environmentally-friendly petrochemistry and shipbuilding. 

Among the three third prizes, a project about marine technology development strategy is of significant meaning to Zhoushan, as it marks a milestone for the city to have a soft science project that wins the provincial science and technology award. 

Soft sciences, as opposed to hard sciences or natural sciences such as biology, chemistry and physics, deal with economic and social issues and provide scientific grounds for economic and sociological decision-making.