PROOF, if that were needed, of Southampton’s position as a world leader in marine technology could well be found today in the application before the city council for an exciting development at the National Oceanography Centre.
The proposal is to extend the building, part of Southampton University, to enable the centre to develop a new breed of Marine Autonomous and Robotics Systems (MARS), similar to the underwater craft currently being used to search the ocean depths for signs of missing flight MH370.
The machines will be capable of exploring the ocean depths and will be available for use by the centre’s scientists and also businesses based here in the Solent region.
On their own the MARS developments are exciting, however the fact the initiative builds on the region’s expertise in maritime technology is just as important.
It is the sea and this region’s maritime heritage that provide its best opportunities. To truly shine in a global world we need to exploit areas where we can be unique and develop sought after expertise. It is the sea that gives Southampton a purpose and also its future.
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