In South Korea, there are different kinds of fish that people eat for every season. The reason that makes this possible is the geographical feature of the country. South Korea is a peninsula, meaning that the country is surrounded by the sea on three sides. Fish is caught all year round, with annual consumption of marine products reaching 58.4 kilograms per person as of 2017 — the highest in the world.

However, in contrast to this record, the amount of local fish catches have been decreasing. According to Statistics Korea, the annual production of marine products recorded 914,000 tons in 2019, down about 100,000 tons from 1,013,000 tons in 2018. The reason behind the disappearance of the formerly abundant fishery resources is the ‘Whitening’ phenomenon.

The whitening phenomenon, also known as sea desertification, is observed as marine algae living in the coastal rock beds disappear and are replaced with coralline algae. It is caused by multiple factors, including the following: rising sea temperature due to climate change, lack of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon) in the seawater, and a decrease of iron components in the sea.

According to a study from FIRA (Korea Fisheries Resources Agency) in 2017, 61.7% of the costal rock bed in the East Sea was suffering from sea desertification. Every year, an astounding 12,970 hectares of rock beds are turning into sea deserts.

▲ Pink coralline algae replacing marine algae on the rock bed (left) and the rock bed transforming into a sea desert (right) (Source: FIRA)

The sea forest provides a basic food source for marine life and also a breeding ground for fish and shellfish. It acts as the foundation of the marine ecosystem by devising rich fishery resources and forming hideouts from predators. When these sea forests begin to disappear, shellfish, such as abalone, conch, and clam, cannot grow here. This result, in turn, is bound to pose a threat to the marine food chain.

SOLUTION POSCO’s Environmental Solution: Sea Forest Cultivation

From its very beginning, POSCO has placed importance on its social responsibility for the environment and has been pursuing various environmental activities accordingly. Since 2000, the company has been evaluating projects that can be of practical assistance to the marine ecosystem as well as local communities. The projects weren’t just about financial support. POSCO utilized what it does best — steelmaking. The ‘Sea Forest Cultivation’ project is one of them.

Triton: the artificial reef brand made with POSCO’s steel slag

The main purpose of the ‘Sea Forest Cultivation’ project is to restore areas damaged by the whitening phenomenon. With the help of POSCO-developed Triton reefs, these areas are transformed into sea forests with abundant marine algae.

Steel slag, a co-product of the steelmaking process, has high mineral content such as calcium and iron, that are useful for marine ecosystems than general aggregates. It also has a lower risk of being damaged from typhoons and tsunamis due to its high gravity and strength. There are three types of Triton reefs: A-type, T-type, and Steel-combined Triton. These Triton reefs have been approved by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in 2014 and have been used for national sea forest cultivation projects since then.

POSCO’s artificial reef project dates back to 2000. RIST, a research institute of industrial science and technology affiliated with POSCO, and the National Institute of Fisheries Science came together and installed 179 Triton reefs in Jeollanamdo Province. In 2010, POSCO signed an MOU with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to create sea forests and fishery resources. Since then, 6,559 Triton reefs were installed in total as of 2019.

The Triton sea forest, created in 30 locations in the Samcheok-Yeosu area, proves its excellent capability to restore the marine ecosystem and create fishery resources. In fact, investigation at the Triton sea forest in Yeosu revealed that compared to the surrounding general reefs, the Triton sea forest contained 1.9 times more marine life, 1.7 times more water, and 1.3 times more diverse algae.

▲ Various marine algae growing abundantly in the Triton sea forest in Yeosu.

On May 28, POSCO set off to create another sea forest to mark the National Ocean Day (May 31). The new sea forest, created with Triton reefs and Triton sea fertilizers, was installed in Ulleung Island, where the whitening phenomenon was at its peak. For the project, POSCO gathered opinions from the local community and decided to create the sea forest in the 17~20-meter-deep area off the coast of Namyangri. Starting from May 13, 100 A-type Triton reefs and 750 Triton blocks were installed for two days, and on May 28, a ceremony was held to celebrate the creation of a new sea forest amidst the presence of local government officials.

▲ POSCO installing Triton sea forest in Ulleung Island

The sea forest cultivation project is the first Corporate Citizen project of local cooperation to restore the marine ecosystem. The project is expected to expand the food resource for high value-added fish species and also help improve the income of local fishermen. POSCO and Ulleung Island will continue follow-up management — including research of water quality, supplemental planting of marine algae, and exterminating harmful organisms.

Triton Sea Forest can store “Blue Carbon”

Triton sea forest is capable of storing carbon dioxide due to the carbonation of steel slag — its main material — and the photosynthesis of marine algae through which the sea forest can store 10 to 20 tons of carbon dioxide annually per hectare. The carbon dioxide stored in the coastal and marine ecosystem is called “Blue Carbon”.

The marine ecosystem has up to 50 times more carbon absorption capacity than the terrestrial ecosystem. The reason why the Triton sea forest is considered as an effective means of blue carbon to prevent global warming lies here. However, since the marine ecosystem is less accessible and more difficult to understand than the terrestrial ecosystem, related studies have been insufficient. POSCO is to conduct scientific investigations on the effect of storing greenhouse gases in Triton sea forests.

Since January 2019, POSCO has been conducting joint research on blue carbon with POSTECH in Odo-ri, Pohang, where POSCO has created a sea forest with Triton reefs. Together, they measure the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in seawater and analyze the dissolved organic carbon present in marine algae, sediments, and seawater.

▲ A CO₂ monitoring system being installed in the Triton sea forest of Odo-ri, Pohang, in 2016.

Triton reef is the perfect place to observe the blue carbon effect of sea forests because of its durability and ability to nurture a sea forest. The research conducted here is expected to lay the foundation for further studies regarding the effect of storing greenhouse gases in sea forests. POSCO will not stop here, but move on to seek ways to help the steel industry adapt to climate change in the marine sector. As a measure, the company will cooperate with Nippon Steel (Japanese steelmaker) on the blue carbon subject.

‘Building a Better Future Together’ is what POSCO wishes to achieve through the sea forest cultivation project. POSCO will continue on its journey to becoming a global sustainable company, advancing past its title of leading global steelmaker.

On May 28, POSCO launched a sea forest cultivation program in Ulleung Island to mark the National Ocean Day (May 31).

Earlier in the month, POSCO installed 100 Tritons* and 750 Triton blocks underwater and fostered a sea forest reaching 0.4ha in Ulleung Island. The installed Tritons have been acknowledged as artificial reefs by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. The 100 Tritons were placed on the edge of the sea forest to facilitate the growth of marine algae while 750 Triton blocks were stacked up in the center, serving as a habitat and breeding ground for fish.

* Triton: The name Triton is taken after the god of the sea in Greek mythology. It is an artificial reef brand made with POSCO’s steel slag. The materials used to make Triton has proven to be safe for the environment as well as for marine life.

About 20 attendants were present at the event, including Ulleung Island Governor Byung-Soo Kim, fishermen of Ulleung Island, President of POSCO In-Hwa Chang, and RIST President Seong Yu. They inspected the sea forest site where the artificial reefs were installed.

In 2000, POSCO, together with RIST, developed an artificial reef Triton made with steel slag, a co-product of the steelmaking process. The company provided steel slags that amount to a total of 6559 Tritons free of charge. The Tritons were placed in 30 different sea forests in South Korea. In this case of Ulleung Island, POSCO not only provided the steel slag but also participated directly from the production to the installation stage.

Steel slag, the main material of Triton, has high mineral content such as calcium and iron, which are useful for marine ecosystems than general aggregates. Not only can the Triton facilitate the growth of marine algae, but it can also promote photosynthesis, thus restoring the marine ecosystem and diversifying coastal organisms as well. Also, the Triton reef can withstand typhoons and tsunamis due to its high gravity and strength and is highly resistant to seawater corrosion.

POSCO is focusing on the Triton sea forest cultivation project as one of the major Corporate Citizenship activities. The project is expected to restore the marine ecosystem and has a Blue Carbon effect since it absorbs and stores CO₂ underwater. RIST and other related organizations have revealed that sea forests are capable of storing 3 to 16 tons of carbon dioxide annually per hectare.

Ulleung Island Governor Byung-Soo Kim said, “We are glad that POSCO has stepped in to help resolve the issues of the marine ecosystem here in Ulleung Island.“ President of POSCO In-Hwa Chang explained that POSCO, as a Corporate Citizen, will actively take part in contributing to the local community with POSCO’s technology.

POSCO explored different underwater sites around Ulleung Island since December last year and selected the best location to cultivate a sea forest. In April, the company conducted a thorough investigation to understand the existing biological habitat. And finally, this month, POSCO transported the Triton to Ulleung Island and installed them underwater. POSCO and Ulleung Island will continue follow-up management — including research of water quality, supplemental planting of marine algae, and exterminating harmful organisms.

POSCO plans to develop sustainable sea fertilizer and a new type of artificial reef using steel slag. These developments are expected to contribute to restoring the marine ecosystem and also help improve the income of local fishermen.

■ The cultivation process of the Triton sea forest

– Finding the Hidden POSCO! –

Discover POSCO’s Heartbeat!

① Saving the Waters with ‘POSCO Volunteers for Clean Oceans’

Launched in 2009, POSCO Volunteers for Clean Ocean started with a group of passionate scuba divers who are POSCO employees. Since then, they have been volunteering to collect various ocean wastes and starfish from Pohang, and Gwangyang where POSCO steelworks are located. POSCO Volunteers’ cleaning activities also extended to other areas like Incheon, Gangneung and Ulleungdo.
They’ve collected 1,650 tons of marine debris through over 540 underwater clean-up activities. Their volunteering is not just saving the oceans but also helping improve the livelihood of local fishermen.

With #SteelSaveEarth campaign this year, POSCO is channeling its effort on collecting plastic wastes from the ocean. The work of POSCO Volunteers for Clean Oceans will continue to protect Korea’s water resources and marine ecosystem.

② Never-Ending Community Service ‘With POSCO’

The employees of Pohang Steelworks continue practicing the spirit of community service through donating their talents. POSCO’s talent volunteer group participates in regular weekend volunteer activities to spread the company’s ‘With POSCO’ principle that seeks mutual growth. Recently, mural painting volunteers created color murals near the Pohang canals where many tourists visit. Various other POSCO volunteers also participated in senior care, especially those living alone, replacing old wallpaper, floorboards, and lighting to help improve their living conditions. POSCO employees are regularly donating their time and talents as a way to express their gratitude toward the community. Altogether 10 volunteer groups are active in the region, participating in such activities as mural painting, reforms, electric repairs, senior care, technical volunteering, tutoring, and ocean clean-ups.

③ ‘STEEL HOUSE’, the POSCO Exclusive

POSCO STEEL HOUSE is designed to protect people and their properties from disasters like earthquake, typhoons, and fires, by applying stronger and more durable techniques than any other construction methods. STEEL HOUSE is a residential structure using internal and external steel with a thickness of 1mm. Strong enough to withstand earthquakes and yet, it has a short construction period. With thin walls, STEEL HOUSE can create a spacious living space, making it an economical choice for both constructors and residents. Because it uses a dry construction method, not only can it be built quickly, it can also be constructed at any time of the year.

Since 2009, POSCO has been collaborating with the National Fire Agency of Korea to support fire-stricken communities. POSCO employees, firefighters, and POSCO’s youth volunteer group Beyonders regularly roll up their sleeves to build steel houses and provide safe living spaces for the fire victims across the country.

④ POSCO Creates Sea Forests and Restores Marine Ecosystems

A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem. Reefs are formed of colonies of polyps held together by calcium carbonate providing a home for many precious marine species. What if POSCO could create this coral reef? It sounds slightly unbecoming perhaps, but there are actually good reasons backing this unusual idea. Triton, an artificial reef developed by POSCO, is made of slag, a steelmaking by-product. Slag has high mineral content such as calcium and iron, which are useful for marine ecosystems than general aggregates. Not only can the Triton help grow algae, but it can also promote photosynthesis purifying contaminated sediments and water. Also, Triton reef can withstand typhoons and tsunamis due to its high gravity and strength. It also reduces CO₂ through carbonation and algae photosynthesis. The World Conservation Congress and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development recognized the positive contribution POSCO’s Triton is making towards the marine ecosystem and announced it as one of the best practices. In 2018, POSCO used 1,418 tritons and 12,200 underwater rocks to help expand clean spaces for the marine ecosystem.

⑤ POSCO Steel Gives Rise to Rice!

Produced during the ironmaking process in the blast furnace, slag contains various impurities other than iron. POSCO’s slag is 100% recycled as either fertilizer or cement. Quality furnace slag is rich in silicic acid, an important ingredient to ensure a large rice harvest. Last year, about 390,000 tons of POSCO slag was used as agricultural fertilizer. Slag fertilizer not only increases the crop yield, but it also improves the taste of rice. Slag is not just a recyclable steel byproduct — as an excellent fertilizer, it is also a tremendous source of joy for farming communities.

⑥ Eco-friendly High Performance POSMENT

In addition to fertilizers, furnace slag also transforms into cement! POSCO developed the eco-friendly POSMENT back in 2012 after 10 years of persistent R&D effort to recycle slag. Instead of limestone, POSMENT mixes slag into general cement for added strength. Compared to conventional cement, POSMENT can reduce up to 60% of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2018, 10.69 million tons of POSCO slag were used as cement helping reduce 8.39 million tons of net greenhouse gases.

⑦ Pohang’s Cultural Hub, POSCO’s Hyoja Art Hall

Since its opening in 1980, Hyoja Art Hall has been providing free performances and concerts for POSCO employees and Pohang residents. The performance facilities and safety management have seen a steady improvement, but POSCO invested in a full remodeling of the space last year to further improve the audience’s experiences. In 2006, Hyoja Art Hall was selected as an excellent performance facility and has been at the forefront of implementing “With POSCO” vision through free performances for the residents, and free rentals to help develop local talents.

If Hyoja Art Hall is the cultural hub of Pohang, what about Gwangyang? Opened in 1992, Gwangyang’s Baegun Art Hall holds 990 seats and is a cultural hub of Gwangyang, Like Hyoja, Baegun has been presenting various cultural events including classical music concerts, musicals, plays and films for POSCO employees and the local population, free of charge.

⑧ Pohang International Fireworks Festival — With POSCO!

On the first night of June this year, Pohang’s night sky was laced with vibrant colors. Established in 2004, the Pohang International Fireworks Festival celebrates its 16th event this year. In the conception stage of the Festival, POSCO focused on two themes: ‘light’ which the city of Pohang signifies and ‘fire,’ strong imagery of the blast furnace at Pohang Steelworks. Since then, the event grew to become global-scale and the themes of the Festival are much more diverse than simple flame imageries. Regarded as one of the top summer festivals in Korea, Pohang International Fireworks is now attended by over 2,000 visitors and features not only spectacular fireworks but also various street performances, culture exchange programs as well as movie screenings.

Though it might seem invisible, POSCO is indeed breathing all around us. And we’re not just talking about its products and technologies. As a corporate citizen, POSCO’s constantly reaching out to spread its community spirits. Perhaps, the most essential is invisible to the eyes but can be felt only with the heart. Beyond hardware, POSCO’s creating many pieces of ‘heartware’ across every corner of our communities. Listen. POSCO’s heart is beating strong — here and now.

At the Forefront of Korea’s Marine Ecology Conservation: POSCO Volunteers for Clean Ocean 

POSCO Volunteers for Clean Ocean, established on November 25, 2009, is an organization committed to saving Korea’s waters. Its activities, carried out by members with professional experience in scuba diving, are varied: cleaning waters and beaches near company processing plants in Pohang and Gwangyang, aiding regional fisheries, lifesaving and salvaging sunken ships are all part of POSCO Volunteers for Clean Ocean’s efforts to protect and preserve Korea’s waters. In addition, the volunteer organization symbolizes the POSCO Green Environment Spirit by actively participating in marine conservation initiatives alongside various organizations in collaborative events such as Water Day and Oceans Day.

Passion? Check. Professionalism? Check.  

POSCO Volunteers for Clean Ocean has 780 passionate members, 270 of whom hold certified licenses for skin and scuba diving. The high level of professionalism makes it possible for the volunteers to engage in collaborative lifesaving efforts with other organizations such as the Coast Guard.

In August last year, POSCO Volunteers for Clean Ocean was shown on the popular KBS environmental documentary <Environment Special> displaying the Korean flag at Dokdo after removing the starfish that were damaging the ecosystem. Dokdo, a small island located in the East Sea, bears great significance to Korea as the nation has been in continuous debate with Japan over which country is the rightful owner. Such passionate activities were made possible by regular meetings and training: the organization meets every Saturday to preserve Korea’s oceans such as collaborating with regional schools and local residents to improve the coastal environment and ecology.

Introducing the Various Activities of POSCO Volunteers for Clean Ocean

POSCO Volunteers for Clean Ocean working to purify the ocean water at a beach near Pohang

POSCO Volunteers for Clean Ocean visits Bal-san ri Dong-hae myun, Pohang during Global Volunteer Week

Cleaning up the coastline and getting rid of organisms that harm the marine ecology at Myodo Island in Yeosu. 

Interview: POSCO Volunteers for Clean Ocean President Jong-bin Park on the Organization and its Future

“We will focus on recovering the marine ecosystem and make a tangible contribution to the fishing economy.”

I remember the early days of the POSCO Volunteers for Clean Ocean when some fishers were concerned about the impact our activities might have on their farms. Recently, however, local communities are competing to invite us as we have demonstrated over time our contribution in recovering the marine ecosystem. Local governments are inviting us to various environmentalist events, which helps us establish our corporate image as a core volunteer group as well as leading to more opportunities to participate in joint efforts to improve regional communities.

Our next plan is to raise awareness of eco-friendly steel material by integrating them into our volunteer activities. Recently, our members installed the artificial steel reef “Triton” in the waters of Guman-yi ri Dae-bo myun. We were surprised to see the marine ecosystem recovering rapidly due to the swift growth of marine algae following the installment of Triton. We also plan to make efforts to improve the fishing economy.

[box]

What is Triton?

‘Triton’ was named after a sea-god from ancient Greek mythology, who controlled all ocean. The key to Triton was something called a Steel Slag. It is a by-product of molten metal from melting iron ore, soft coal, limestone—the three ingredients for producing steel—in extremely high temperature. Steel Slag is an eco-friendly resource that can be widely used for many purposes such as cement, manures, and aggregates. POSCO’s ‘Triton’ is a low-carbon fish reef using such Steel Slag. It creates a healthy environment for marine life to flourish, by attracting the accession of marine plants in the area. [/box]

We hope that our readers were able to feel POSCO Volunteers for Clean Ocean’s passion for marine ecology preservation through this post. POSCO Volunteers for Clean Ocean will continue in its endeavors to save the waters of Korea.

What is Triton—the artificial fish reef?

‘Triton’ was named after a sea-god from ancient Greek mythology, who controlled all ocean. The key to Triton was something called a Steel Slag. It is a by-product of molten metal from melting iron ore, soft coal, limestone—the three ingredients for producing steel—in extremely high temperature.

Steel Slag is an eco-friendly resource that can be widely used for many purposes such as cement, manures, and aggregates. POSCO’s ‘Triton’ is a low-carbon fish reef using such Steel Slag.

Since 2000, POSCO started research on ways to restore marine life by collaborating with Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology (RIST), and ‘Triton’ is the result of this project. Triton consists dominantly of steel, which is a necessary element for mixing photosynthesis and protein. It creates a healthy environment for marine life to flourish, by attracting the accession of marine plants in the area. Thanks to the installment of Tritons, sea forests were restored healthily. These sea plants then help to decrease carbon dioxide due to their ability to store about 10-20 tons of carbon dioxide every 1ha per year during the process of photosynthesis.

 Not only in the southern sea of Korea, but Triton has made sea forests in parts of the east sea. The priceless sea forest created in the southern sea, was progressed by POSCO MOU pilot project with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. After 18 months of making the sea forest, the amount of contrast in the bedrock biomass in the area have increased more than ten times its original state, and the incomes for fishermen have also increased.

POSCO Reaches Out Globally In Preserving and Restoring Marine Life

Towards the future, POSCO aims to build mutually cooperative relationships for constructing fishery resources with the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Furthermore, POSCO plans to establish seventeen more sea forests with Triton until 2014. In addition we will try our best to restore the coral reef forests in Indonesia along with protection of marine life in other parts of the world as well. POSCO’s deep concern for the marine affairs will continue.