Press Release :: CEROS Awards over $8.1 Million to Ocean Technology Companies

March 4, 2010

(Kailua-Kona, HI) The National Defense Center of Excellence for Research in Ocean Sciences (CEROS) announced the selection of projects for its 2009 technology development program. Nineteen companies will receive over $8.1 million in FY09 funding.

With funding through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), CEROS supports research and technical development projects which will produce measurable results in 6 to 12 months. CEROS selects projects for funding based on (1) a focus on near-term results; (2) tangible deliverables linked to quantitative metrics; (3) meeting military requirements; and (4) having the ability to transition to a real military capability.

Since 1993, CEROS has funded more than 256 projects at a value exceeding $100 million. Hawaii's Senator Daniel K. Inouye was instrumental in the creation of CEROS and securing the federal funding to give Hawaii's businesses a chance to compete in the high technology market.

CEROS initiated the 2009 program with a publicly advertised solicitation and an annual fall Industry Day in Honolulu. CEROS technical priorities are

  • Shallow Water Surveillance Technologies
  • Ocean Environmental Preservation
  • New Ocean Platform, Ship, and Ship-building Concepts
  • Ocean Measurement Instrumentation and Ocean Engineering Tools
  • Unique Properties of the Deep Ocean Environment
  • Improvements in Logistics, Operations and Maintenance, and Training

CEROS Technical Director Alan Hilton believes, "the projects selected for funding in our 2009 Core Program are an excellent fit for the CEROS technical priorities designed to meet the emerging and future technology needs of the maritime military sector. They cover a broad suite of novel technical innovations ranging from fundamental concept development and validation, to prototype production and field trials of promising new technologies for operational commands. These projects were not alone among the excellent array of sophisticated technical proposals which were received and evaluated by the CEROS Program this year, but the number of selections possible was limited by the amount of available funds. It is my hope that our ability to fund more such excellent proposals will be possible through future CEROS Program opportunities.