Prepared by: Syahir, Shukur, Azrin & Sathia

Port Dickson, 7 Sept. – A new research facility construction for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion studies, named UPM-UTM OTEC Centre, has officially started. This research centre is located in the International Institute of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences of Universiti Putra Malaysia (I-Aquas, UPM), Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan. The construction period was estimated to be about 21 weeks and will complete by the end of February next year.

A delegation from UTM OTEC Team visited I-AQUAS, UPM Port Dickson, to attend the first Client Consultant Meeting (CCM) and Site Transfer Meeting with the newly appointed contractor, RMG JAYA Enterprise. Both meetings were chaired by The Superintendent Officer Representative (SOR) (Main), Ir. Maznah Sahran from the Development Office and Asset Management of UPM.

This first CCM was aimed to establish an effective command line between PPPA, I-AQUAS Management, Consultant and SATREPS-OTEC Project Researchers. Meanwhile, the Site Transfer Meeting involved all parties, including the contractor, whereby a checklist was reviewed to ensure the contractor fulfilled and submitted the necessary documents for the development of the facility.

SATREPS-OTEC Project Director, Prof. Dato’ Ir. Dr. A Bakar Jaafar and Project Manager, Ts. Dr. Sathiabama T. Thirugnana emphasized the importance of this project between the Malaysia and Japan governments as well as firmed up the work schedule accordingly. The contractor is responsible for building a safe and steady UPM-UTM OTEC Centre facility within the allocated cost, time and resources.