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On June 10, the Ministry of Economic Affairs hosted the award ceremony for the 9th National Industrial Innovation Awards. Premier Cho Jung-tai of the Executive Yuan personally presented the honors. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ Maritime and Port Bureau (MPB) received the Outstanding Innovation Award for Government Agencies in the Organization Category, recognizing its comprehensive achievements in promoting the Blue Highway brand initiative “TAIWAN Hi.” This award is widely regarded as the “Oscars” of Taiwan’s industrial innovation landscape, and this year, for the first time, government agencies were allowed to compete. The MPB’s receipt of the award signifies a high level of acknowledgment of its proactive efforts in policy innovation and service enhancement.

Deputy Director General Chih-hung Liu stated that the MPB has upheld the core mission of “people-oriented harbors and seamless maritime transport,” with the goal of providing both domestic and international passengers with safe, comfortable, and high-quality ferry experiences. The MPB has developed the national Blue Highway brand “TAIWAN Hi” and pursued comprehensive maritime service focuses on four main areas: navigation, port infrastructure, vessels, and tourism. Through the incorporation of aesthetic design and innovative vessel management models, the initiative seeks to improve transportation quality for Taiwan’s outlying islands and change public perceptions of ferry travel.

The MPB stated that, in order to enhance the overall quality and experience of maritime services, it has actively promoted the “TAIWAN Hi” brand, with the aim of incorporating aesthetic concepts into maritime services and further integrating maritime transport with tourism resources to promote the development of marine tourism. In addition to brand establishment, the MPB has introduced process innovations, including the design of new operational models for vessel management. A representative example is the case of the Penghu Ferry, for which the MPB adopted the DBO (Design–Build–Operate) 2.0 model. Under this framework, the government procures transportation services by commissioning private operators to design new vessels according to operational needs. This model ensures the provision of 300 voyages per year for the next two decades between Taiwan’s main island and Penghu. It also introduces operational flexibility through private sector participation, which not only improves ship utilization efficiency and reliability but also reduces the financial burden on the government. Driven by this innovative model, the Penghu Ferry experienced a 161% increase in passenger volume in July 2024 compared with the same period two years prior. During the winter low season, the growth rate reached 259%, reflecting a high level of public recognition for the Blue Highway service and its innovative operating model.

To amplify the effectiveness of its policy, the MPB has actively advanced the implementation of various demonstration vessels and terminals under the Blue Highway brand through interagency collaboration. These include the New Taima Ferry, Penghu Ferry, Penghu South Sea Waiting Room, Xinyuan Wharf Park, and Fugang Port Waiting Room. These efforts have significantly improved the quality of passenger waiting areas and onboard environments. In terms of marketing and promotion, the MPB has partnered with local governments, shipping companies, and travel agencies to launch integrated travel packages that combine maritime transport with tourism and accommodation services. Additionally, it has participated in major domestic travel exhibitions to enhance brand visibility and increase public engagement with marine tourism, thereby stimulating the development of local ports and surrounding industries.

The MPB emphasized that receiving the National Industrial Innovation Award represents a major endorsement of its policy innovation efforts. In the future, the MPB will continue to enhance maritime service facilities and operational models while integrating diversified industrial resources. Its goal is to establish a maritime public transportation system that combines transport efficiency with tourism value, offering domestic and international passengers a safe, comfortable, and high-quality boarding experience. These efforts aim to inject renewed momentum into the development of Taiwan’s marine transportation and tourism sectors.