CPC Corporation, Taiwan

CPC’s plants are distributed throughout Taiwan. In addition to onshore plants and oil depots, marine receiving terminals are also included to meet the need for unloading imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from overseas. From land to sea, every site coexists and thrives alongside its surrounding ecosystem. Upholding a deep sense of environmental care and responsibility, CPC has launched meaningful coral conservation efforts at two marine facilities with vastly different environmental conditions: the Yongan LNG Terminal and the Shen'ao Port Supply and Transport Service Center. 

Yongan LNG Terminal: A Natural Coral Ark 

Located in Yongan District, Kaohsiung City, the Yongan LNG Terminal is Taiwan’s first LNG receiving terminal. More than a decade ago, employees patrolling the port area unexpectedly discovered coral growing on wave-dissipating concrete blocks. A detailed investigation revealed with great surprise that the Yongan LNG Terminal had fostered a sizeable and diverse coral population, marking the beginning of CPC’s coral conservation project. 

To better understand the unique marine environment of the Yongan LNG Terminal, CPC invited ecological experts to form an investigative team to conduct a comprehensive survey of natural and artificial habitats along Taiwan’s western coast. Within the waters of the Yongan LNG Terminal, as many as 130 species of corals were identified, including the precious, protected wildlife species Polycyathus chaishanensis—a discovery considered extremely rare along Taiwan’s western coastline. 

In 2023, CPC launched the “Yongan Coral Ark Conservation Project.” Without affecting LNG unloading operations, CPC successfully installed two sets of coral cultivation equipment inside the port in 2024, cultivating a total of 220 coral specimens across 74 species. Additionally, with approval from the Ocean Conservation Administration and Taoyuan City Government, CPC successfully transplanted three specimens of the protected Polycyathus chaishanensis, hoping to leverage the unique environmental conditions of the Yongan LNG Terminal waters to contribute to coral conservation efforts. 

Polycyathus chaishanensis transplanted to the Yongan Coral Ark 

Coral Cultivation Equipment — Underwater Suspension Racks 

CPC is not only committed to coral conservation but also conducts research on how environmental factors such as light and water temperature affect coral bleaching. The Company also regularly monitors the survival of 130 coral species in the waters of the receiving terminal to ensure that terminal operations do not impact the coral ecosystem. In the future, plans include moving corals from the wild that are vulnerable to temperature changes or that exist in smaller populations into the coral cultivation equipment to conserve more coral species. Through these efforts, CPC is gradually realizing the vision of transforming the Yongan LNG Terminal port area into an important coral conservation base in Taiwan. 

Shen’ao Port Supply and Transport Service Center: Using Technology to Shape the Future of Coral Restoration 

Nestled between mountains and sea in Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Shen’ao Port stands quietly as another important site for ecological conservation. Due to operational safety requirements, human activity in Shen’ao Port has long been restricted, inadvertently creating a sanctuary for corals. However, because it was previously difficult to conduct field investigations, the marine ecology of this area remained largely undocumented. To address this, CPC invited a professional marine research team to launch a systematic coral ecology survey starting in 2023. 

CPC used AI-based automated substrate group recognition technology and coral species identification technology to conduct diving photography and image analysis in six key areas inside and outside the port. This successfully documented 132 coral species across 14 families and 37 genera, and even recorded for the first time the reproductive cycle of the critically endangered Acropora japonica. Through six sexual reproduction cycle surveys and ten spawning observations, it was confirmed that 12 tagged coral colonies within the port possess high reproductive potential, with coral diversity and coverage within the port exceeding those outside the port. 

Coral Ecology Survey — Substrate Group Coverage 

Coral Species Identification Technology

The Shen’ao Port Supply and Transport Service Center’s coral ecology survey project provides valuable research data and practical applications for coral ecology in northern Taiwan’s waters. By continuously monitoring marine environmental factors to maintain a suitable environment for coral spawning and reproduction, the project promotes coral cultivation and aims to establish a coral conservation base in northern Taiwan. 

Sustaining Life Through Action, Leaving a Blue Legacy for the Future 

Yongan and Shen’ao are CPC’s two "North and South Coral Arks," progressing from discovery, research, conservation, and restoration to public education. In the future, we plan to apply for official conservation area designation for the port areas surrounding Yongan LNG Terminal and Shen’ao Supply and Transport Center in accordance with the Ocean Affairs Council’s “Recognition Standards for Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) outside of Marine Protected Areas”, aiming to become a model of ecological protection. 

Behind all these efforts lies our deep affection for this land of Taiwan, and our commitment to future generations. With each ripple of the sea, we are engaging in dialogue with nature and walking hand in hand with the future.