Gathering by the Harbor, Sharing the Flavors of the Sea: Seaworth Holding Joins the “Kaohsiung Chill: Harbor BBQ Festival”

▲The spirit of the annual Mid-Autumn Festival fills Qianzhen Fishing Harbor, along with the aroma of sizzling barbecues.

With sea breezes blowing and charcoal grills glowing, Qianzhen Fishing Harbor—usually bustling with fishing vessels—welcomed an evening of celebration. On September 11, the Kaohsiung District Fishermen’s Association hosted the “Kaohsiung Chill: Harbor BBQ Festival” at the harbor’s west quay, bringing a barbecue gathering for over a thousand people to the fishing port for the first time. Seaworth Holding Co., Ltd. joined fisheries workers, Taiwanese and foreign crew members, local residents, and partners for an early Mid-Autumn Festival celebration by the waterfront.

One hundred tables welcomed more than 1,000 participants for an evening featuring waterfront barbecues, a specialty market, live-shrimp waterwheel displays, stage performances, and a lucky draw. Under a theme celebrating the connection between mountains and sea, the event paired agricultural specialties from nine districts in eastern Kaohsiung with seafood from Qianzhen Fishing Harbor, showcasing the region’s diverse produce and local character.

▲Seaworth Holding, with deep roots in Qianzhen’s fishing industry, joins the festivities.

The celebration received support from national and local agencies, including the Fisheries Agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ocean Affairs Council, and the Marine Bureau of the Kaohsiung City Government. Marine Bureau Director Shih Ching-feng and representatives from various levels of government joined fisheries industry participants and the public for the festivities. Lee Skluzak, Chief of the American Institute in Taiwan’s Kaohsiung Branch Office, attended with his family, while Masafumi Oku, Director-General of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association’s Kaohsiung Office, also joined the gathering, adding an international dimension to the evening.

▲Foreign representatives based in Taiwan, political figures, industry representatives also enthusiastically join the barbecue festival.

Yang Meng-fan, General Manager of the Kaohsiung District Fishermen’s Association, said that Qianzhen Fishing Harbor is both a major base for fishing vessel arrivals and departures and the unloading and sale of catches, and a place where crew members, vessel owners, and fisheries workers work and live. By hosting its first large-scale waterfront barbecue, the association hoped to create a relaxed setting that would encourage more people to visit the harbor and get to know its working community and everyday life. The event highlighted the personal connections and community warmth that exist alongside the harbor’s fishing operations, while demonstrating Taiwan’s commitment to respecting fishing crew members’ human rights and treating crews of all nationalities with care.

Jesse Huang, Chairman of both the Kaohsiung District Fishermen’s Association and Seaworth Holding, said that the association’s first barbecue event aimed to give hardworking crew members, vessel owners, and industry partners more opportunities to connect and socialize. He noted that Qianzhen Fishing Harbor is a major base for Kaohsiung’s distant-water fishing industry, with extensive fisheries resources, and that the continued growth of Taiwan’s fishing industry depends on the collective efforts of crews, vessel owners, and government agencies. He also expressed particular appreciation to the organizations whose support and sponsorship made the event possible, bringing everyone together for a shared celebration.

▲ Hardworking crew members and workers from around the world gather at the barbecue festival.

With Kaohsiung serving as an important operational base for many years, Seaworth Holding participated alongside its employees, connecting with industry partners and other guests in the relaxed waterfront setting. For one evening, the busy fishing port became a place where more than a thousand people gathered around shared tables to enjoy seafood and celebrate the approaching Mid-Autumn Festival.

▲ The Harbor BBQ Festival concludes successfully, with hopes for an even bigger celebration next year.

Sea breezes, fishing vessels, glowing charcoal, and laughter made for a memorable harbor evening, bringing together people from different countries, industries, and communities through their connection to fisheries. Through food, culture, and conversation, the celebration brought the public closer to the fishing harbor and offered a glimpse into the richness and diversity of Kaohsiung’s fishing community.