The world’s largest floating bookshop, Doulos Hope, operated by Germany’s nonprofit organization Gute Bucher fur Alle (Good Books for All), docked Dec. 18 at southern Taiwan’s Kaohsiung Port and is set to berth at Hualien and Keelung Ports in January and February respectively, according to Executive Yuan’s Ocean Affairs Council.
The vessel will stay at its first port of call until Jan. 12, the OAC said, adding that the vessel will berth at Hualien Port in the eastern county Jan. 16-Feb. 2 and at northern Taiwan’s Keelung Port from Feb. 6-Mar. 9.
OAC Deputy Minister Huang Hsiang-wen said that vessels operated by GBA Ships had visited Taiwan many times. She noted that the bookshop promotes reading and facilitates the spread of culture.
The ship’s name, a Greek phrase that means servant of hope embodies the spirit of service. Nathan Schmutz, bookshop director, noted that the vessel’s mission is to offer good books for all at every port it visited.
Doulos Hope was launched in 2023 and is expected to serve mainly in the East Asia and Pacific regions. Books on over 2000 subjects are on offer ranging from art, cooking, languages, medicine, science, sports, among other themes.
OAC Minister Kuan Bi-ling said that a total of 320 books on Taiwan’s rich marine ecosystem and resources published by the OAC and Kaohsiung City-based National Academy of Marine Research were donated to the ship. (POC-E )
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