Taiwan's First Yacht Industrial Park / 打造全台首座遊艇產業園區
Taiwan's First Yacht Industrial Park
◎English translation: Marie Pelchat
◎Photos courtesy of Kaohsiung Marine Bureau
South Star Yacht Industrial Park will be located in Siaogang District, adjacent to Intercontinental Container Center, Kaohsiung Fongbitou Harbor and Kaohsiung Linhai Industrial Park. It will be a great advancement for Taiwan's yacht industry. Marking the first of its kind in Taiwan, Mayor Chen Chu hosted the official launch and signing ceremony on September 30, 2011. The first phase of the project is scheduled to be completed by 2013, with a second phase in 2015. The project will cost NT$ 5.2 billion and establish Kaohsiung as Asia's premier luxury yacht manufacturing center.
The yacht manufacturing industry is Kaohsiung's most competitive industry. Currently Taiwan's yacht industry ranks third in the world, second only to Italy and the United States. Cities in China are also rapidly developing their yacht industry, so Taiwan's manufacturers will be facing greater competition. With the new industrial park, Mayor Chen Chu believes it will become Kaohsiung's flagship industry and increase its competitiveness. It will also assist manufacturers in facing market challenges and unite them in moving Taiwan's yacht industry to a whole new level.
Previously most yacht manufacturing companies faced serious limitations because they weren't located near the port. The South Star waterfront, land reclamation project has allocated 113 hectares to the industrial park, which will accommodate up to 42 yacht manufacturing companies. Kaohsiung City Government hopes this will foster industry development, enhance manufacturing productivity, reduce transportation costs and promote industry clusters. The park will include large shipyards and boat launching facilities. It is estimated to boost the industry by NT$10 billion per year and create 4,000 jobs.
The industrial park will also house other yacht-related businesses and a large research and development sector. It will also welcome companies that specialize in yacht design, manufacturing, sales, maintenance, yacht accessories, water sports equipment and management companies, projected to top $25 billion USD. Lu Chia-yang, chairman of Taiwan's Yachting Industry Association believes the industrial park will become one of Taiwan's great economic glories.
With the port and airport adjacent to the future industrial park, manufacturers will find Taiwan a more appealing place to set up shop. Taiwan will also boost its international market by emphasizing its custom yacht capabilities. There are 35 yacht manufacturing companies in Taiwan, with 19 that are based in Kaohsiung. Therefore, Kaohsiung represents 80% of Taiwan's total yacht manufacturing and with 90% of all yachts produced in Taiwan moving through Port of Kaohsiung, it is truly a key industry to develop.
打造全台首座遊艇產業園區
◎文／林秀麗 ◎照片提供／高雄市政府海洋局
全台首座遊艇產業園區開發案─高雄市南星計畫遊艇產業園區（位於小港區，臨近高雄港洲際貨櫃中心、高雄鳳鼻頭漁港及臨海工業區），在台灣遊艇業界引頸期盼下，9月30日由高雄市長陳菊主持完成簽約。預計民國104年完工的遊艇產業園區，可望建構高雄為「亞洲豪華遊艇製造中心」。
陳菊市長表示，遊艇業是高雄的旗艦產業，園區完成後可望大幅提高產業競爭力，面對市場嚴峻挑戰，市府將成為廠商最有力的後盾，共同將台灣遊艇產業推向新的高峰。
陳菊市長表示，台灣遊艇製造業名列世界第三，是高雄的旗艦產業，極具競爭力，但過去製造遊艇廠房大多遠離河岸海港，造成發展瓶頸。為促進遊艇產業發展，高雄市府推動南星計畫填海造陸，並畫出113公頃土地作為遊艇產業園區，遊艇產業園區內包含完善的臨港碼頭大型廠房與下水設施，可提高製造效率，降低運輸成本，期能形成產業群聚。
南星計畫遊艇產業園區總面積113公頃，一、二期分別將於102年底及104年底完工，總開發金額近52億元，共可提供42處遊艇製造廠用地及關聯產業建廠用地，預估廠商進駐後年產值可達新台幣100億元，提供逾4千個就業機會。
「遊艇經濟」指與遊艇研究開發、設計製造、銷售、維護保養、修理等相關經濟活動。僅遊艇製造的國際年銷售額就高達250多億美元，如加上遊艇配件 、水上運動器材、維修、管理、娛樂等費用，帶來龐大商機。
台灣區遊艇公會理事長呂佳揚表示，遊艇產業是台灣的榮耀，在全世界僅次於義大利、美國兩國，然而，近年來中國大陸各城市大力發展遊艇專區，使台灣遊艇產業面臨更嚴峻的競爭。
台灣遊艇以客製化遊艇策略笑傲國際遊艇市場。台灣遊艇製造業者在80呎以上巨型遊艇接單長度，2010年名列世界第七、亞洲第一。全台35家專業遊艇製造廠，高雄地區即有19家，產值佔80％，全台產製的遊艇高達90％由高雄港裝船出口，這也使得遊艇製造業在高雄成為指標性產業。
高雄遊艇產業園區鄰近海空雙港、腹地廣大，開發完成後，台灣的遊艇製造業者將更有信心，根留台灣。