Horizon Group invests in Private Marina
The leading Taiwan based luxury yacht builder Horizon Group, has recently invested in the all-new ‘Horizon City Marina’, and scheduled to open during the first Taiwan International Boat Show running from 8-11 May 2014. The marina represents a world-class private luxury yacht marina that will offer a full range of marine as well as yachting lifestyle services and will accommodate yachts measuring up to 40m (130′) in length.
Taiwan has a long history in the maritime industry and is currently the world’s sixth largest yacht building nation; at the centre of Taiwan’s yacht manufacturing industry is Kaohsiung, home to Horizon’s facilities as well as a number of other established marine companies. Although manufacturing and port transportation have been the prevailing industries in Kaohsiung for many years, the government began supporting tourism and culture a decade ago and more recently renewed their dedication to creating a recreational yachting industry through the promotion of the city’s natural ocean areas as well as bays and harbors. With development of the Asia New Bay Area project underway, Kaohsiung is expected to transform from a manufacturing area to a more leisure-based city, with tourism, recreational yachting, culture, and creative industries at the forefront.
Taiwan’s first private luxury yacht marina, Horizon City Marina is located in the centre of Kaohsiung’s Asia New Bay Area and embraces beautiful mountain and ocean scenery as well as neighboring Kaohsiung Exhibition Centre, the Maritime Cultural & Popular Music Centre, Kaohsiung’s Port Terminal, and the Kaohsiung Main Library. The marina occupies a perfect location in Kaohsiung, convenient to main transportation (including a new waterfront light rail transit) as well as surrounding hotels, restaurants and shopping centres.
A collaborative effort between Horizon and well-known international marina manufacturer Australia Superior Corporate, Horizon City Marina is designed with 37 berths to accommodate yachts from 40ft (12M) to 130ft (40M). Thanks to a wealth of experience, Australia Superior designed the berths for easy access as well as designed the floating docks without pillars, so that the luxury yachts can be clearly seen down the dock.
The marina was built to high international standards, and all marina equipment is of world-class quality and safety. Supplied by Aritex, the dock cleats are the same as those used on board a yacht, and the cleats are fixed on the cement floating dock for extra strength and durability. European shore power columns and a Taiwan power system are the perfect combination for safe and easy use of electric power. A Seaflex sea anchor system — the most popular anchor system in the world – adjusts the tension with the tides to maintain the floating dock’s correct positioning at all times.
The details below the dock shouldn’t be ignored either: a well-thought out cable arrangement and convenient maintenance accesses are included in the marina’s construction frame. Flexible cable and pipe materials that respond well to common marina vibrations were used to ensure long-term safety, and the multi-layer protection cables, which are certified by international classifications, will resist the high humidity and high salinity characteristics of the ocean environment. Horizon placed emphasis not only on the function but also the aesthetics of Horizon City Marina. Horizon collaborated with MAYU Architects – made famous in Taiwan with their successful projects the Dadong Art Centre and Hougmaogang Cultural Park – to design the central marina building on shore as well as create a welcoming marine environment, ensuring that Horizon City Marina is the best choice for our Asian yacht owners to berth their luxury yachts.
With the establishment of a world-class private luxury yacht marina, Horizon Group looks forward to providing further after-sales service and support to its Taiwan and Asian owners; the yard also hopes this marina will encourage more people to embrace and enjoy the new yachting lifestyle in Taiwan.
