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Dock talk

A new 110-metre dry dock has opened up in Taiwan for visiting superyachts.

18 October 2018

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Kaohsiung, Taiwan has made a name for itself over the last 40 years for its concentration of shipbuilding skills and hard-working ethos. But until recently, facilities for repair of superyachts were very limited.

Broker Central Yacht has announced the availability of a 110-metre dry dock facility in Kaohsiung, perfectly placed within minutes of one of the biggest concentrations of yacht and shipbuilders in Asia.

The dock can accommodate ships with up to 5,000 gross tonnage, up to 110 metres in length and 17 metres in beam. Maximum draft is 3.5 metres aft and three metres forward. Mobile cranes, dock cranes on rails, forklifts and a cherry picker are also available.

Central Yacht has worked with local government, Taiwan International Ports Ltd and the Kaohsiung Harbour Bureau to rent this dock for all kinds of superyacht refit and repair: from class survey, hull conversions, interior renovations to full cosmetic repaints. In speed, quality and price, Taiwan is now set to become a global competitor in the refit market.

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“Central Yacht will coordinate refit as part of a consortium of local business using a wealth of subcontractors, most of which already have experience working on large yachts,” commented Cassy Wong, Central Yacht’s Project Coordinator.

“The dock is owned by Kaohsiung Harbour Bureau, a government-owned entity. Central Yacht has negotiated to rent the dock facility on a per-project basis at the moment but we are looking to secure the facility on a longterm contract.”

With extensive experience in Asia, Central Yacht chose Taiwan over Mediterranean and North European yards for the recent 10-year Lloyds Special Survey and refit of 65-metre diesel-electric superyacht M/Y Ambrosia III, one of the most complex superyachts afloat having been one of the first in the world to install the ABB Compact Azipod system.

The superyacht uses Kaohsiung as a base to launch expeditions to the Penghu Islands, the Taiwan Strait’s popular cruising grounds.

centralyacht.com

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