Yacht Industry Embraces Innotative Green Technology in Kaohsiung / 高雄遊艇產業開創綠能新境界
Yacht Industry Embraces Innotative Green Technology in Kaohsiung
◎English Text by Yi-Chun Lin
◎Photos Courtesy of Horizon Yachts
With the advantage of a natural harbor, Kaohsiung eyes the yacht industry as its flagship industry, facilitating the rapid establishment of yacht docking and transportation. At the end of December 2009, the city government completed the construction of a yacht wharf and associated facilities in Linhai Village, Siaogang District. Yacht charter companies have access to the yacht launching facilities. The city government also plans to turn the city's South Star area into a yacht manufacturing base equipped with factory buildings, arrangements of supply, logistics and inventory, wharfs, and yacht launching facilities. The manufacturing benefits for the yacht companies are expected to increase.
Beginning with demolishing Japanese boats, Kaohsiung rose to be the largest shipbreaking kingdom in the world. Cheap labor in the 80's contributed to a prosperous shipping boat industry. The prosperity was short-lived with 70% of the factories closing before the 1990s arrived. Recently, the yacht industry has begun rising again. Jade Yachts Shipbuilding manufactured a mega-yacht for the CEO of Louis Vuitton, using steel aluminum. Ching Fu Shipbuilding built a green-tech headquarter complex working with a British architect. Horizon Yacht Company had the first boat powered by solar energy. Taiwan's yacht industry has successfully built a world-renowned reputation with its technology enhancement, product transformations, and strategic branding.
Established in 1987, Horizon Yacht Company is now the largest manufacturer in Taiwan. It collaborated with Solar Water World from Germany and developed Taiwan's first solar-powered electric boat "SunCat 23". Since its production from June 2009, eight "SunCat 23" boats have been exported to Europe for 2.8 million NT dollars each. The spokesperson of Horizon Yacht Company explains that their 800-watt solar panels provide enough power to operate 24 hours a day. Auxiliary power devices are available. Gas can be used on rainy days or when the solar energy has run out.
In addition, Horizon Yacht Company is working with J. C. Espincsa, the world famous yacht designer, in building a 46-foot solar-powered yacht, "SunCat 46". This will be the world's first solar-powered yacht. SunCat 46 includes a master bedroom, bathrooms, seating areas, bars, and audiovisual equipment, creating a "second home on the sea". Production is scheduled to be completed in 2010. Horizon Yacht Company has already received three orders from Europe. AIT Kaohsiung, in its published report of Taiwan's yacht industry, especially recognized the contribution of the solar-powered boats to bringing the yacht industry into a new green level.
高雄遊艇產業開創綠能新境界
◎文／阿娟
◎圖片提供／嘉鴻遊艇公司
本著高雄的港灣優勢，高雄市政府將遊艇業設定為旗艦產業，連帶帶動遊艇碼頭、遊艇運輸等相關行業迅速發展。高雄市政府在小港臨海新村漁港興建遊艇專用下水碼頭及設施，於2009年12月底完工，解決高市遊艇業者長年無法取得港區專用下水碼頭及設施的問題。此外，市府還推動南星計劃成為遊艇製造專區，規劃遊艇廠房、供應商、物流、倉儲廠配置、道路、碼頭及下水設施等，提升遊艇業者生產效益。
高雄造船產業從拆船做起，做到全世界最大拆船王國，1980年代用低工資撐起造漁船榮景，90年代前倒掉７成廠房，跌跌撞撞。近年來，「高鼎遊艇股份有限公司」造出鋼鋁材質的LV總裁用大遊艇，「慶富造船有限公司」用英國設計師建造綠能集團總部，「嘉鴻」造出首艘太陽能量產船...，近幾年台灣遊艇藉由技術提昇、產品轉型與品牌化的發展策略，成功在國際豪華遊艇業闖出名號。
成立於1987年的「嘉鴻遊艇公司」產值名列全台第一，與德國「SolarWaterWorld公司」合作開發國內第一艘太陽能量產船「SunCat 23 」，每艘定價台幣280萬元，今年6月量產至今已外銷歐洲８艘。該公司表示，太陽能面板處理８百瓦電量，蓄電量航行１天24小時，另可加裝輔助動能，下雨天或沒電時可加油航行。
另外，嘉鴻遊艇公司表示，已與著名遊艇設計師J.C.Espinosa合作設計船長46呎太陽能遊艇－SunCat 46 ，是全世界首艘太陽能遊艇，船上有主臥、浴廁、沙發、吧台及視聽設備等，打造「海上第二個家」，預計今年量產，目前已獲歐洲３艘訂單。美國在台協會高雄分處發表的台灣遊艇產業報告，文中特別稱讚台灣所生產的太陽能遊艇，將遊艇產業帶入綠能新境界。
Horizon Yacht Company's solar-powered yacht "SunCat 46"
嘉鴻遊艇生產的SunCat 46遊艇
Horizon Yacht Company's "SunCat 23"
嘉鴻遊艇生產的SunCat 23遊艇
The exquisite workmanship enables manufacturers to personalize yachts.
精湛的工藝使遊艇業者能為顧客特製遊艇。
Kaohsiung City Government completed the construction of a yacht wharf and associated facilities in Linhai Village, Siaogang District at the end of December, 2009. Yacht charter companies now have access to the yacht launching facilities.(Photos by Chung-Hui Pao)
高雄市政府在小港臨海新村漁港興建遊艇專用下水碼頭及設施，於2009年12月底完工，解決高雄市遊艇業者長年無法取的港區專用下水碼頭及設施的問題。（攝影／鮑忠暉）