Poni Marine has emerged as a notable winner in the ASEAN Blue Innovation Challenge (ABIC), an initiative driven by ASEAN, Japan, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) aimed at advancing sustainable blue economy solutions in ASEAN nations and Timor-Leste. This achievement highlights Poni Marine’s commitment to marine conservation and sustainable innovation.
The ABIC, launched in April 2024, is part of the ASEAN Blue Economy Innovation Project, which is endorsed by the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and implemented by UNDP with support from Japan. A total of 60 winners, including Poni Marine and three other Brunei representatives—Green Brunei, Fatih Aquaculture, and Universiti Teknologi Brunei—were selected from over 1,300 applicants. Each winner received a grant of up to USD 40,000 to further their blue economy projects.
Poni Marine’s award-winning project, ‘Project Rumah Fish’, focuses on the innovative use of science and technology to enhance fisheries through the strategic deployment of artificial reefs (ARs). The project aims to improve site selection using particle tracking and hydrodynamic modelling to ensure optimal conditions for marine life growth and to deter illegal trawling through AI-assisted analysis of seabed and satellite data.
The initiative includes stakeholder engagement to align AR deployment with community needs and socioeconomic factors, ensuring that local fish species are targeted for rehabilitation. The project’s unique approach promises more cost-effective and faster results compared to similar regional programs.
In addition to fisheries enhancement, Project Rumah Fish explores blue carbon credit research, with Poni Marine partnering with Indonesia’s Jejakin for carbon project monitoring and verification. The project also emphasizes community empowerment through education on reef restoration, creating jobs, and promoting sustainable practices.
The ABIC program supports winners with a USD 40,000 grant and a six-month incubation programme to develop their solutions, culminating in a business matchmaking event in Jakarta in February 2025. This forum will connect innovators with potential investors and partners, promoting collaboration in the blue economy sector.
Poni Group’s ongoing success in CSR and blue economy initiatives strengthens its position as a leader in marine sustainability in Southeast Asia. The company plans to expand its conservation efforts, including potential projects to create the world’s longest artificial barrier reef along the Borneo coast and deploy reef balls in Timor-Leste by 2025.
