AFP/Vienna
Handout computer-generated images released yesterday by OrsosIsland shows a man-made, floating ‘island’ developed by an Austrian firm. Measuring 20m by 37m, the ‘Orsos Island’ has no engine but can be anchored anywhere its owners choose and then towed to another location the other side of the world if they so wish, Hungarian-born entrepreneur Gabor Orsos said
An Austrian firm has come up what it hopes is the next big thing for the mega-rich: a man-made, floating “island” with a list price of 5.2mn euros ($6.5mn), the company’s founder told AFP yesterday.
Measuring 20m by 37m, the “Orsos Island” has no engine but can be anchored anywhere its owners choose and then towed to another location the other side of the world if they so wish, Hungarian-born Gabor Orsos said.
“The interest has been massive from all over the world, from Australia, China, the United States.
“We have already had the first pre-orders and we have some potential buyers coming from Australia next week,” the entrepreneur said.
The island is environmentally friendly and fully self-sufficient, with solar panels and wind generators providing power.
It can sleep 12 people plus crew and offers 1,000sq m of living space.
The only problem is that no “islands” have been produced yet and that once manufacturing starts it will initially be in land-locked Slovakia.
 
However, Orsos expects the first finished products to be ready in 18 months’ to two years’ time, and for the “islands” to be transported down the Danube river into the Black Sea – and then to wherever the customer wants.