chinese sailing yacht manufacturers

45 Chinese Sailing Boat Yards producing for China and Worldwide!

Published by sail on march 18, 2023 march 18, 2023.

China is a main sailboat manufacturing hub, including worldwide notorious brands.

Here is a list of 45 of the main Chinese sailing yards:

• Amel Yachts – Based in France with a manufacturing facility in China, Amel Yachts produces high-end bluewater cruising sailboats
• Bavaria Yachts China – Founded in 1978, Bavaria Yachts is a German sailboat manufacturer that produces a range of high-quality cruising and racing yachts. The company had a strong presence in China and produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Bayliner China – A subsidiary of the US-based Bayliner company, Bayliner China produces a range of affordable sailboats that are designed for family cruising.
• Beneteau China – Beneteau is a French sailboat manufacturer with a history dating back over 130 years. The company’s China division produces a range of sailboats, including cruising yachts, racing boats, and catamarans.
• Broadblue Catamarans – Based in Xiamen, this company produces high-performance sailing catamarans for the international market. China Sailing – Established in 1988, this company produces a range of sailing yachts, catamarans, and powerboats.
• Dalian Detai Yachts – Specializing in the production of high-performance racing yachts, Dalian Detai Yachts produces a range of cutting-edge designs that are popular with professional sailors.
• Delphia Yachts China – A Polish-based company with a manufacturing facility in China, Delphia Yachts produces a range of sailing yachts and motorboats.
• Dickey Boats – Based in New Zealand, Dickey Boats produces a range of high-performance sailing yachts that are designed for racing and cruising.
• Dufour Yachts China – Established in 1964, Dufour Yachts is a French sailboat manufacturer with a strong presence in China. The company produces high-quality, performance-oriented sailboats ranging from 30 to 63 feet.
• Far East Boats – Based in China, this company produces a range of dinghies, keelboats, and multihulls for racing and cruising.
• Fountaine Pajot China – Fountaine Pajot is a French catamaran manufacturer that produces a range of high-quality cruising catamarans. The company’s China division produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Grand Soleil China – A subsidiary of the Italian-based Grand Soleil company, Grand Soleil China produces a range of high-quality sailing yachts that are designed for both racing and cruising.
• Hanse Yachts China – Hanse Yachts is a German sailboat manufacturer that produces a range of high-performance yachts for cruising and racing. The company has a strong presence in China and produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Hansheng Yachts – A leading sailboat manufacturer in China, Hansheng Yachts produces a range of high-quality sailing yachts and catamarans.
• Hi Star Yachts – Based in Taiwan, Hi Star Yachts produces a range of high-quality sailing yachts that are designed for both racing and cruising.
• Hunter Yachts China – Hunter Yachts is an American sailboat manufacturer that produces a range of cruising and racing yachts. The company has a strong presence in China and produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Hylas Yachts – Based in Taiwan with a manufacturing facility in China, Hylas Yachts produces high-end bluewater cruising sailboats.
• J/Boats China – A subsidiary of the US-based J/Boats, this company produces a range of performance sailing yachts.
• Jeanneau China – Jeanneau is a French sailboat manufacturer that has been building boats for over 60 years. The company’s China division produces a range of sailboats, including cruising yachts, racing boats, and catamarans.
• Jiangsu Sirocco Marine Co. – A leading manufacturer of inflatable boats, Jiangsu Sirocco Marine Co. also produces a range of small sailboats that are designed for recreational sailing.
• Jinlong Yacht – A leading manufacturer of powerboats, Jinlong Yacht also produces a range of high-quality sailing yachts that are designed for both racing and cruising.
• Lagoon Catamarans China – Lagoon is a French catamaran manufacturer that produces a range of high-quality cruising catamarans. The company’s China division produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Maxima Yachts – Based in Qingdao, Maxima Yachts produces a range of affordable sailboats that are designed for recreational sailing.
• Ming Hui Yacht – Founded in 2008, this company produces a range of motor yachts, sailing yachts, and catamarans.
• Mingxing Yachts – Specializing in the production of traditional Chinese sailing junks, Mingxing Yachts produces a range of beautifully crafted wooden boats.
• Nautor’s Swan China – Nautor’s Swan is a Finnish sailboat manufacturer that produces high-performance racing and cruising yachts. The company has a strong presence in China and produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Ocean Explorer Yachts – Based in Hong Kong, Ocean Explorer Yachts produces a range of high-quality sailing yachts that are designed for cruising in comfort.
• Oceanis Yachts China – Oceanis Yachts is a French sailboat manufacturer that produces a range of cruising yachts. The company’s China division produces boats that are tailored to the needs of the Chinese market.
• Oyster Yachts China – A subsidiary of the UK-based Oyster Yachts company, Oyster Yachts China produces a range of high-end sailing yachts that are designed for luxury cruising.
• Qingdao Wingo Star Yachts – Established in 2007, this company produces a range of luxury yachts, including motor yachts, sailing yachts, and catamarans.
• Rongcheng Tongmao Yacht Co. – Based in the coastal city of Rongcheng, Rongcheng Tongmao Yacht Co. produces a range of sailing yachts for both pleasure and racing.
• Rongsheng Yacht – Founded in 1996, Rongsheng Yacht is a leading sailboat manufacturer in China. The company produces a range of high-performance sailing yachts, catamarans, and powerboats.
• Royal Yacht Club – Founded in 1996, this company produces a range of luxury sailing yachts and motor yachts.
• Seafarer Yachts – Based in Taiwan with a manufacturing facility in China, Seafarer Yachts produces a range of bluewater cruising sailboats.
• Seaway Yachts – Based in Shenzhen, Seaway Yachts produces a range of high-quality sailing yachts that are designed for both performance and comfort.
• Seawind Catamarans – This Australian company has a manufacturing facility in Qingdao, China, where it produces a range of performance cruising catamarans.
• Shanghai Double Happiness Yachts – Founded in 1989, this company specializes in the production of racing sailboats and cruising yachts.
• Shanghai Far East Yachts – Founded in 2002, Shanghai Far East Yachts produces a range of affordable sailboats for recreational sailors.
• Sunbird Yacht Co. Ltd. – Founded in 1995, this company produces luxury motor yachts, sailing yachts, and catamarans. Based in Shanghai, Sunbird Yacht Co. produces a range of luxury sailing yachts that are designed for high-end clientele.
• Tsai Yachts – Specializing in the production of luxury sailing yachts, Tsai Yachts produces a range of beautifully crafted boats that are designed for high-end clientele.
• Vagabond Yachts – This company produces a range of bluewater cruising sailboats, with a focus on high-quality craftsmanship.
• Viko Yachts – A relatively new player in the Chinese sailboat market, Viko Yachts produces a range of affordable sailboats that are designed for family cruising.
• Xiamen Hansheng Yacht Building – This company produces a range of motor yachts, sailing yachts, and catamarans, with a focus on high-quality craftsmanship.
• Xiamen Hualong Marine – Specializing in the production of high-performance racing yachts, Xiamen Hualong Marine produces a range of cutting-edge designs that are popular with professional sailors.
• X-Yachts China – X-Yachts is a Danish sailboat manufacturer that produces high-performance racing and cruising yachts.
• Yachting France – This company produces a range of performance cruising sailboats for the Chinese market.

For a complete picture, please use our free searchable database here!

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A new dawn: Inside China's rising superyacht market

China emerged as the great new hope for superyachting after the 2008 crash. One spectacular false dawn later, could it finally be taking off?

If 1421 was the zenith of China’s long yachting history, when legendary eunuch admiral Zheng He purportedly led his “treasure fleet” of hundreds of junks around the world (in the process, according to one historical account, discovering America 70 years before Columbus), 2013 could be considered the nadir. For that was when President Xi Jinping – only months into office – began a crackdown on “tigers and flies”, a euphemism for those government officials and businessmen (the genres blur in China) whose greed and corruption had begun to stir public anger.

Part of his anti-corruption crusade was an eye-watering 44 per cent import tax on luxury goods and a clampdown on lavish hospitalities and personal spending. Ostentatious symbols of wealth – fast cars, lavish banquets, his-and-hers diamond-studded Rolexes, Learjet jaunts, $20,000 gift-wrapped bottles of Rémy Martin and 50-year-old Moutai rice wine, and, of course, superyachts – became highly conspicuous and drew the wrath of the Communist Party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

“We must uphold the fighting of tigers and flies at the same time, resolutely investigating law-breaking cases of leading officials and also earnestly resolving the unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems which happen all around people,” Xi said at the time. Dozens have been investigated, arrested and jailed, including top ministers – so many the Qincheng maximum security prison in Beijing for disgraced senior Communist Party officials ran out of cells last year, according to credible reports. Orders for status-symbol trappings dropped off a cliff; Western luxury retailers and manufacturers saw exports nosedive.

The yacht market was especially devastated. It’s far harder to hide a superyacht than a diamond ring or a Porsche, after all. Prior to the crackdown, China’s boating sector had been inching its way towards some kind of momentum after its once illustrious sailing heritage, having been all but erased along with much of the country’s four millennia of history during Chairman Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, was resurrected for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Then the financial crisis struck the West, and China, with its seemingly armour-plated economy and near-double-digit growth, emerged as the great Eastern hope for leading yacht brands. Into the Chinese market sailed an international fleet of brokers and builders. The 14,500-kilometre coastline, stretching from the Bohai Gulf in the chilly north to the Gulf of Tonkin in the tropical south, was eyed as a prime playground for China’s new billionaire class, which grew to 338 individuals in 2017, according to data company Wealth-X. Estimates put the number of millionaires in the country at more than 1.5 million. China was about to go boating again.

Exhibitions were hastily organised, rendezvous booked and property developers broke ground on scores of prestige marinas, charging top-dollar membership and mooring fees, many starting at ¥1 million (£110,000) a year. Local boatyards followed, laying keels of copied foreign and home-grown designs, some in joint ventures with overseas shipyards, many without.

The image-conscious Chinese super-rich responded in kind and started buying foreign-branded trophy boats at up to three times the market price, and moored them in the expensive marinas. Cost was not an issue. What mattered was so-called “face” or mianzi: the projection, and protection, of one’s reputation and social standing. In the West we call it ego.

A 2012 report by the China Cruise & Yacht Industry Association found that there were 3,000 yachts of all sizes in China, and estimated that this figure would rise to 100,000 by 2020, in a market worth €10 billion. The international boating industry was washed along by this giddy, irrational wave of hyperbole. Across the board, orders for smaller superyachts went from zero – zoom! – skywards.

Local yards benefited. After years of being ignored by the domestic market, in 2010 Chinese yard Heysea received eight orders for its 82 model before it had even finished the mould. A year after the financial crash in the West, meanwhile, China recorded sales of ¥4.15 billion (£450 million), according to local media reports. “After 2008, the yacht market took off because the West’s financial crisis had negligible impact in China,” says Sunseeker Asia’s Gordon Hui from his office in Hong Kong. Jona Kan, from Australian yard SilverYachts , adds that demand suddenly grew for superyacht dayboats on which Chinese businesspeople could entertain clients.

But Icarus had flown too close to the sun. Within a couple of years, the world’s financial woes started to penetrate China’s economic model. Jobs were slashed and inflation was on the rise. Yet for the wealthy Communist Party cadres and their tycoon chums, it was business as usual. The restive masses looked expectantly – and threateningly – to Beijing to bring such conspicuous consumption to heel. President Xi responded with a dragnet that claimed scores of high-profile scalps, sending the message loud and clear: in-your-face luxury would no longer be tolerated.

Brokers’ phones stopped ringing, builders’ order books took a hit and showrooms became wastelands. All of those contacted by Boat International for this article echoed almost verbatim the sentiment expressed by Sunseeker’s Hui: “After more than three years of the anti-graft policy, the Chinese boating market has come to a halt, with a 95 per cent drop-off in sales. It has been all but dead since 2015.”

Sunseeker , bought in 2013 by China’s fourth-richest man, Wang Jianlin, has closed two of its three dealerships in mainland China. At one point, China accounted for 15 per cent of Sunseeker’s global sales. “Now it’s less than five per cent,” says Hui. Several Chinese yacht builders have gone bankrupt as hefty value added tax and duties on imported parts such as engines rendered operations unviable. Marinas have battened down the hatches, slashing their prices by half to avoid the fate of Xiangshan Yacht Club in Fujian province; billed as Asia’s largest marina when it opened, it went bust in 2014.

Yet to solely blame the anti-corruption drive and the global financial crash for China’s slumbering boating market is misguided. Prior to Xi’s clean-up, there had been attempts to build a culture of private boating after the former leader Deng Xiaoping launched economic reforms in 1981. But those attempts failed, says Hong Kong-based yacht broker Mike Simpson, of Simpson Marine, one of the region’s biggest boat dealers. Simpson agreed the import tax on foreign boats has had a near fatal impact, but he says there were already major hurdles to developing the fledgling market. “We have to remember China is relatively new to boating,” says Simpson, who set up his company in Hong Kong in 1983. “It’s been developing in fits and starts. An obvious curb on its development has been the import ban on second-hand boats, which was there before the luxury goods tax.”

He adds: “The last two to three years have been pretty desperate. I don’t think anyone has made money. Everyone’s been spending money just to stay in business in China over the past few years.”

The lack of a boating culture is also commonly cited as one reason that’s holding back the Chinese market. In the West, yachting is all about relaxing fun in the sun, a weekend jaunt from one marina to a secluded cove or island, or for sailing boat owners, the thrill of stealing an opponent’s wind during a regatta. In China, owning a yacht has been all about the optics, or “face”, and viewed by the public as the exclusive preserve of the ultra-rich. But even among this demographic, interest is limited. According to Wealth-X, just two per cent of all Chinese UHNW individuals own or even have an interest in yachting, compared to 6.7 per cent globally.

“The perception among the Chinese is that boating is for the very wealthy,” says Rocky Wang, chief representative of Burgess in China. “Many Chinese have yet to grasp what boating is all about. Boating culture remains in its very early stages. Yachting is very new to them. Those Chinese who think about buying yachts continue to do so with mainly a business objective in mind. Buyers are business owners, investors and entrepreneurs, who use the yachts as dayboats to entertain, rarely overnighting on board.”

Of the 200 yachts in the southern boom city of Shenzhen, where Deng Xiaoping launched China’s opening up and reforms half a century ago, about 70 per cent never leave the yacht club. Instead, they serve as venues to host wealthy clients and government officials; one pontoon legend has it that some boats were bought without engines because their owners never entertained the idea of going to sea.

In China, building a $30 million marina with a plush clubhouse and spa is the easy part. Not so easy is attracting the essential supplemental services: repair yards and chandlers, navigation aids, charts, a coastguard service willing to assist the stranded sailor, sail training schools and so on. A lack of trained Chinese crew is also a major problem. In China there are an estimated 60,000 sailors, mostly of school age, attending small sailing centres and learning in dinghies. Crews experienced enough to handle a 60-metre-plus seagoing vessel are a rarity. “Chinese yacht owners must, therefore, import foreign crews with the expertise to maintain and sail boats, and this comes with visa application headaches,” says Simpson.

Then there is the maddening red tape. China guards its coastal waters like a hawk; try to sail a nautical mile off Qingdao beach or a cable or two up the coast from Sanya and you’ll have patrol boats stuffed to the gunnels with uniformed boarding parties bearing down on you demanding papers; a day’s sail is treated like an invasion or a desperate escape with state secrets.

“It’s true,” concedes William Ward, CEO of the biannual round-the-world Clipper Race, which during its last edition stopped twice in China, in Sanya in the south and Qingdao in the north. “The government protects the inshore waters as it would an inland military installation. It’s overbearing, there’s too much red tape, and you just don’t need that. You need to be able just to hop on your boat, slip your lines and head out for some safe fun and relaxation, just as we can in the UK, or in the Med and everywhere else,” he says.

Then there’s China’s geography. Part of the appeal of cruising is exploring idyllic archipelagos or mooring off a chic seaside town. Only in the south, around the island of Hainan, can you find good cruising with accommodating marinas. Even then, as Ward recently experienced, just heading out for a day’s jaunt demands official clearance to slip your lines, which may or may not be granted.

Little wonder those Chinese who own a superyacht, or are still in the market for one, seek to moor their pride and joy outside China, in places like Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia, while the ultra-wealthy look to the US and the Med.

Not for the first time, there might be signs of a new dawn appearing for China’s boating market. In April, the Pride Mega Yachts shipyard in Yantai, China, rolled out the spec-built 88.5 metre superyacht Illusion Plus , which later appeared at the Monaco Yacht Show. She’s now listed for sale , asking $145 million. If she sells well, it will be a sign of faith in Chinese yacht building.

Chinese conglomerates are once more seeking to own international superyacht brands. China Zhongwang, the world’s second-largest producer of industrial aluminium extrusion products, recently acquired a controlling interest in Australia’s SilverYachts, which builds high-speed, fuel-efficient superyachts from high-grade aluminium. The yard’s commercial director, Jona Kan, says the boatbuilder will soon announce the acquisition of a shipyard in the Pearl River Delta.

Sunbird, a Chinese conglomerate with five shipyards including a large commercial facility, added IAG Yachts to its varied portfolio in 2015, and turned out to solid reviews the 42.7 metre  King Baby , the largest fibreglass motor yacht ever produced in China.

Heysea Yachts, founded in 2007 and one of China’s largest yacht builders, was a new entry in the Boat International Global Order Book’s Top 20 builders in 2018 and holds its place in this year’s report. Chairman Allen Leng says the company is seeing more interest from domestic buyers because it is adapting to local tastes, by placing the galley down below and including more living and entertainment space, with fewer cabins. “There is an increased number of Chinese clients who better understand the culture of boating and the lifestyle it offers; that boat ownership is more than having a floating platform for business and to boost one’s image,” says Leng. “More Chinese customers are accepting that China-made yachts offer quality and the same after-sales service as foreign brands. We’re also noticing a demand for smaller yachts, which shows the link between sailing and sport and leisure, and that boating is not just a rich person’s pursuit.”

Horizon Yachts says its product range, including new projects such as the FD series, are proving popular with Chinese clients, who are becoming more sophisticated in their tastes. “For example, a buyer in Shanghai or in Sanya will moor their yacht in a yacht club and let the club manage it. In the past five years, we have delivered a 120ft [36.5 metre] superyacht and 145ft [44.2 metre] superyacht, both to clients in Shanghai,” says Horizon Yachts’ chief marketing officer, Lily Li.

Simpson Marine’s Mike Simpson estimates that around 50 per cent of yachts being bought in China are now locally built. “The standard is improving,” he says. “Sometimes you have to do a double-take when you see yachts coming: you think it’s a well-known foreign brand. Then you look again and it’s actually a locally made boat.”

Sunseeker’s Hui also expresses modest optimism. “I think the market overall is getting better, albeit slowly,” he concedes. “I can say 70 per cent of our 2015 to 2018 customers are mainland Chinese with overseas-listed companies. But their boats are all outside China.”

Grassroots sailing and crew training recently received a much-needed boost. In April, the UK’s then deputy ambassador to China, Martyn Roper, and the president of the Chinese Yachting Association, Qu Chun, signed deals to open three training centres to bring Chinese seamanship up to British standards. The centres will offer the UK’s Royal Yachting Association courses. In the UK, seven per cent of the population goes boating. If the same percentage could be replicated in China, that would mean 80 million people taking confidently to the water.

Simpson says a new initiative called the Greater Bay Area development scheme is seeking to unify nine mainland coastal cities to allow yachts licensed in Hong Kong and Macau to cruise in the good southern cruising areas around Hainan without paying a hefty tax. And there is quiet and determined diplomacy afoot calling for Beijing to relax and standardise coastal regulations. Ward, the Clipper Race CEO, says he has been speaking to officials at city and provincial levels who understand the benefits of rationalising China’s sailing industry and its associated tourist trade. “I have spoken with many officials and they get this point. They understand the [stifling red tape] situation, and they’re passing these concerns up to Beijing, that leisure sailing is a different culture and is good for local and regional business,” he says.

There are signs of a cultural shift, too. At the 2018  Shanghai Boat Show , many of the exhibitors were proposing something different – more accessible yachting, with small fishing boats and cruisers standing cheek by jowl with the bigger craft, says Delphine Lignières, co-founder of the Hainan Rendez-Vous. “Contrary to myth, many Chinese enjoy watersports, including sailing and fishing. What I have seen now is more and more people boating on inland freshwater lakes in smaller-sized boats.

“That’s where I see the market developing this time, with smaller recreational boats being bought for use on lakes, rivers and estuaries. This will help establish a boating culture, and over time, the boats will again get bigger and bigger. And not in such a conspicuous way.”

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List of Boat Manufacturers in China: Our Top 7 Picks

July 17, 2021

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By Riz Khan

Table of Contents

If you’re looking for Chinese boat manufacturers but wondering which supplier will suit you the most, then worry not, this article is all you need! In this guide, we list some of the most credible and distinguished exporters of boats based in China.

Each boat manufacturers synopsis includes its short introduction, proficiency, and capabilities, facilitation, primary exporting areas, main items, global certificates, factory location, etc;

Mentioned boat manufacturers in China:

• Weihai Hi Wobang Yacht Co., Ltd.
• Shandong SeaKing Ocean Engineering Technology Co., Ltd.
• Qingdao Grandsea Boat Co., Ltd.
• Qingdao Colton Yacht Co., Ltd.
• Qingdao Allheart Marine Co., Ltd.
• Chongqing New Maritime Import and Export Co., Ltd.
• Qingdao Haimai Boat Co., Ltd.

1. Weihai Hi Wobang Yacht Co., Ltd.

Weihai Hi Wobang Yacht was founded in 2014, in Shichang Rd., Weihai City, Shandong Prov., China. They are one of the most successful and quickly extending exporters of boats in China.

The association assigns more than 700 skillful crew members and owns 3 independent construction factories that possess a colossal area of up to 70,000 square meters. They serve ODM, OEM, and OBM support to their buyers as well.

Fitted with various kinds of automatic assembling machinery and more than 3 sets of high-grade production lines, their annual production output capacity is over 500,000 pieces of boats.

According to the enterprise, all of their boats are made using durable and high-quality components that comply with the global industry quality rules and standards such as the CE, SGS, and SMETA global certificates.

Hi Wobang exports around 50% to 70% of their various types of boats to several regions and countries such as Eastern and Central Europe, the US, Japan, South Korea, and the Middle East.

Primary Products

• Cuddy cabin boats
• Luxury yachts
• Fishing kayaks
• Center console boats
• Inflatable boats
• Pontoon boats

Certificates

Factory Location: Shichang Road No. 280, Weihai City, Shandong Province, China.

2. Shandong SeaKing Ocean Engineering Technology

Shandong SeaKing Ocean Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. was founded in 2018, in Chengyang Dist., Qingdao City, Shandong Prov., China. They are one of the rapidly growing and highly noteworthy manufacturers of fishing boats in China.

The association owns an enormous area of almost 50,000 square meters and assigns about 400 competent staff laborers and skillful technical personnel in its production factory. They also promote OBM, ODM, and OEM facilitations to their customers.

As per the enterprise, all of their boats are pass through numerous testing procedures and are made using durable components that match the ISO international industry quality principles and specifications.

SeaKing exports more than 90% of its multiple kinds of boats to diverse countries and areas such as Australia, Eastern and Western Europe, Britain, North America, and more.

• Cruise ships
• Fishing boats

Global Certificates

Factory Location: Room No. 403, Building No. 6, Huicheng Road No. 506, Chengyang Stre.et, Chengyang District, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China.

3. Qingdao Grandsea Boat

Qingdao Grandsea Boat Co., Ltd. is located in Chengyang Dist., Qingdao City, Shandong Prov., China. They are one of the most remarkable and highly reputed suppliers of boats in China.

The company hires more than 200 professional staff employees and experienced technical personnel in its 2 development factories which spans a massive area of over 27,000 square meters in total. They also facilitate their customers with ODM, OBM, and OEM assistance.

Equipped with up to 100 types of automatic manufacturing equipment and more than 10 sets of high-quality development lines, their output value is over 100 million Yuan per year.

As per the manufacturer, all of their boats are thoroughly assessed using various inspecting processes and are prepared with strong materials that pass the global industry quality guidelines and regulations such as the HSE, ISO, and CCS certificates.

Grandsea exports around 30% of its boats to various areas and countries such as South Africa, Eastern and Western Europe, Japan, South Korea, the US, and Southeast Asia.

• Aluminum boats

Factory Location: Room No. 906, Unit 2, Building No. 40, Shange Road No. 702, Chenyang District, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China

4. Qingdao Colton Yacht Co., Ltd.

Qingdao Colton Yacht was founded in 2010, in Laixi Dist., Qingdao City, Shandong Prov., China. They are one of the widely known and highly leading exporters of boats in China.

The enterprise assigns more than 150 trained staff employees and skilled laborers in its production base which covers a huge area of around 20,000 square meters. They also promote OEM and ODM facilities to their clients.

Prepared with several types of automated development equipment and up to 4 kinds of top-grade manufacturing lines, their production output capacity Is more than 5,000 pieces of different kinds of boats per year. 

As per the manufacturer, all of their boats go through diverse rigorous assessing procedures and are prepared using authentic materials that comply with the global market criteria and such as the EU and CE international certifications.

Colton Yacht exports roughly 70% to 80% of their boats to several areas and regions such as North and South America, Oceania, Eastern, and Western Europe, South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

• Pilothouse boats

Factory Location: Industry and Development Zone, Laixi District, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China.

5. Qingdao Allheart Marine

Qingdao Allheart Marine Co., Ltd. was founded in 2012, in Huangdao Dist., Qingdao City, Shandong Prov, China. They are one of the leading and well-reputed suppliers of fishing boats in China.

The enterprise recruits around 100 qualified staff employees and trained laborers in its manufacturing facility which spans a huge area of up to 10,000 square meters. They serve ODM, OEM, and OBM facilities to their consumers as well.

According to the company, all of their boats are manufactured with strong and top-grade components that are licensed in compliance with the ISO worldwide industry specifications and benchmarks.

Allheart exports about 70% to 90% of its broad range of boats to diverse areas and countries such as Eastern and Western Europe, Australia, the US, New Zealand, and more.

Factory Location: Wangtai Industry and Development Zone, Huangdao District, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China.

6. Chongqing New Maritime Import and Export Co., Ltd.

Chongqing New Maritime Import and Export was founded in 2010, in Jingkou Dist., Chongqing City, Jiangsu Prov. China. They are one of the highly notable and renowned manufacturers of boats in China.

The corporation recruits around 100 qualified staff employees and skillful laborers in its production workshop which covers a large area of roughly 12,000 square meters. They also assist their consumers with OEM and ODM facilities.

According to the company, all of their boats undergo strict testing methods and are built utilizing top-quality components that are authorized with numerous global certifications such as the ISO, CCS, LR, ITS, ABS, NK, DNV, KR, and BV certificates.

New Maritime exports about 50% to 70% of their several kinds of boats worldwide such as the US, Oceania, Africa, Southeast Asia, South Korea, Japan, Europe, and the Middle East.

Factory Location: High Tech Industrial and Development Park, Jingkou District, Chongqing City, Jiangsu Province, China.

7. Qingdao Haimai Boat

Qingdao Haimai Boat Co., Ltd. is located in Yantai Rd., Qingdao City, Shandong Prov., China. They are one of the well-established and well-known manufacturers of fishing boats in China.

The firm employs up to 50 full-time staff members and qualified technical researchers in its development plant which occupies a big area of roughly 3,000 square meters. They provide OBM, OEM, and ODM support to their clients as well.

As per the company, all of their boats are prepared utilizing high-grade and reliable materials that are approved in compliance with the ISO and CE international industry regulations and requirements.

Haimai exports 50% to 70% of its various sets of boats to numerous countries and regions such as Australia, the US, Africa, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

• Pilot House boats

Global Certifications

Factory Location: Yantai Road No. 62, Laixi Economy and Development Zone, Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China.

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An increasing number of people in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, are taking to the high seas on leisure cruises.

Once an activity for only the elite, sailing is now becoming an affordable sport for many.

"It has become really popular. Lots of people can afford it now. About 10 years ago, it would cost around 5,000 yuan ($764) to sail in a boat like this for three hours. But now, the price has dropped to around 2,000 yuan," captain Zhang Hongfa told CGTN.

Apart from soaking up the sun, you can also get some hands-on experience on these cruises.

With a 32,000-kilometer coastline, China is an ideal destination to become a leading yacht market.

For years, the development of a sailing culture in China has been hindered by many factors – a lack of dock infrastructure, a shortage of sailing boats and a crew to maintain them. However, with more support now from the government, such as pilot free trade zones (FTZs), there are signs the yacht industry could soon realize its potential.

"Ten years ago, there were less than 10 yachts in Sanya. Now we have 500 yachts registered in the marine bureau. In 2019, we had 100 yachts available for rent, and by 2020 we had more than 200. So we think that rental services will become more popular in China," said Yan Yaya, president assistant of China Visun Real Estate, which runs one of the biggest yacht companies in China.

"The policies in Hainan Province are great. We want to become a free trade island. Maybe in two or three years, if you buy a yacht in Sanya, you'll be exempt from a lot of tax, so it'll be cheaper than it was 10 years ago," she added.

As part of the plan to boost tourism, Hainan will become a pilot zone for the innovation and development of the yacht industry, after the central government's move to make Hainan a free trade zone. 

Yachts have been highlighted in the sweeping new policy, covering everything from shipping and technology to finance. Companies established within the Hainan Free Trade Zone will be taxed at only 15 percent.

For ordinary people who want a taste of the elite lifestyle, their ship has certainly come in!

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Within a vast and humid hangar in southern China, workers in blue overalls, face masks and straw hats scale the hull of a 108ft superyacht that will soon be completed. The factory once catered for local demand but many boats made here are now bound for Australia, Thailand or Europe.

The drive for exports by Heysea, one of China’s largest yachtmakers, is a sign of how companies are adapting to a downturn in China’s domestic yacht market, once seen as a great prospect for the global industry.

“The domestic market is not good,” says Allen Leng, Heysea’s chairman. “We are going overseas because of a lack of certainty in the Chinese market.”

The company sold about 20 super-yachts in 2012, the height of a yachting frenzy when international boatbuilders and brokers flocked to China for lavish shows where thousands of vessels were sold to a growing business elite.

At about the same time, two Chinese companies acquired European yachtmakers Ferretti and Sunseeker , which were both in trouble following the global financial crisis. The year after, according to Chinese media reports, the domestic industry had sales of Rmb4.15bn ($630m).

But the market was driven by companies snapping up boats to act as venues to host wealthy clients and government officials. A culture of private yachting failed to emerge.

That made the sector an obvious target for the crackdown on corruption championed by President Xi Jinping.

Legitimate corporate clients still exist — Heysea was planning to host potential buyers from property group Evergrande when the Financial Times visited — but they have shrunk dramatically. Several Chinese yachtmakers went bankrupt in the downturn, according to Mr Leng. Now sales are a quarter of what they were at the peak and the company expects to sell five superyachts this year.

“It was like a high-speed train that stops because, eventually, it has to stop,” says Delphine Lignières, co-founder of Hainan Rendez-Vous, a leading Chinese boat show.

Some of China’s largest boat makers, such as Sunbird, have switched to building tourist boats or coastguard ships, which are used to assert China’s contested territorial claims in the South and East China seas. Heysea says it is selling more vessels in other Asian and Pacific markets — including one to an Australian client who wanted pole-dancing equipment aboard. “It seemed a little lowbrow,” says Mr Leng.

There are signs the domestic market is beginning to recover. A tech boom centred around the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen has created a market, he says. “Now our clients are more diverse and the proportion of genuine yachting enthusiasts has increased  . . . but the overall number is still small.”

The same market is being chased by start-up Moana Yachts, which has been battling the industry downturn. Its co-founder Chris Wang, who studied boat design in New Zealand, strides across the deck of one of the company’s catamarans, sold for about $1m at a private marina near Shenzhen. “A lot of companies went bankrupt. But that was a chance for us,” he says.

The company has sold several boats this year to customers working mainly in finance and technology. “There is a change from companies to individuals who want to take family holidays,” he adds. The catamaran features a karaoke system, generally seen as a must-have for Chinese customers.

At the height of China’s yachting boom, “the [buyers] didn’t care about cost, they just wanted face. They would pay three times over the market price for foreign brands. It was highly irrational,” says Moana Yachts’ fellow co-founder Huang Jun.

Looking out at boats moored at the marina, Mr Huang says: “There are about 200 yachts here and about 70 per cent will not leave the yacht club. They were bought for face, and then buyers realised they had no use for them.”

Now the market is “more rational”, he says, “people actually want to use their boats.” But there is still a need for businesses to entertain customers. “Customers have a desire for face, they need the interiors to look good.”

Sales in China are hampered by a 44 per cent tax on imported motor yachts. Domestic manufacturers also pay hefty value added tax and duties on imported parts such as engines.

We want to move [yachting] from being an elite to a middle-class thing Allen Leng

On top of this tax burden, China lacks superyacht berths. Even for smaller boats, costs in private marinas remain prohibitively high. Chinese property companies rushed to build marinas during the boom, hoping to snap up corporate customers to pay mooring fees up to Rmb1m ($150,000) a year.

But with the downturn, that model has come under strain. The Xiangshan yacht club in the province of Fujian, billed as Asia’s largest, went bankrupt in 2014. Others have cut their prices by as much as half in recent years.

“We need public marinas built by the government,” says Heysea’s Mr Leng, echoing a widespread industry view that China should encourage sailing and its associated tourist trade as part of a drive towards a more consumption-based economy. “The government is paying attention,” he adds. “We want to move [yachting] from being an elite to a middle-class thing.”

There is uncertainty, though, over whether the Communist party will support the yachting sector while the latter retains an association with corrupt elites. “It will never be a mainstream thing,” Mr Leng admits, citing official statistics that there are only a few thousand registered yachts in mainland China.

Government rules that limit to 12 the number of passengers, including staff, are also stifling growth in the charter market. “Patrol boats come to check the numbers. That’s why people buy boats and ship them to Thailand, where they can do anything,” says Mr Wang.

Mike Simpson, a broker based in Hong Kong, says: “Owners are now moving their yachts to Thailand, which is a popular Chinese tourist destination and other parts of Southeast Asia where they may have business interests or a second residence. For some who can afford a larger superyacht, the Mediterranean is an option.”

For now, it appears, the future of Chinese yachting lies largely outside China itself.

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SELENE 60 OCEAN EXPLORER

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SELENE 78 OCEAN EXPLORER

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SELENE 128 OCEAN EXPLORER

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This brand new Selene 60 Ocean Explorer is the smallest vessel of the Selene Ocean Explorer line. A first look, the Selene 60 Expedition by Guido de Groot shows a number of the Selene family traits with her powerful raised pilothouse, Portuguese bridge…

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WHAT SELENE OWNERS SAY…

We wanted a compact yacht because we will load her on a cargo ship to explore new playing grounds like the Pacific Northwest or Northern European seas… It’s easily doable with a 42′ boat, and at a reasonable price. We want to see our new boat like a life enhancer and not as a financial or technical burden. This is why sizing the project, refining the specifications and a sound cooperation with the shipyard is essential, and Selene’s teams were ready to help from day one. We have found our perfect yacht…

I spent ten years as a full time vessel master and live-aboard owner. After obtaining my United States Coast Guard Master’s license, I spent countless hours cruising the waters of the San Juan Islands and the Canadian Gulf Islands.

Our constant, and the place we call “home” is M.V. Ellipsis, a Selene 60 Ocean Yacht delivered in 2007. We boat now without boundaries and enjoy navigating the rugged open waters off the west coast as much as we do the Inside Passage.

Summer and fall 2018, we will explore the Columbia and Snake Rivers, getting some experience with the locks on the river. 2019 should find us heading south in the Pacific, spending time cruising Mexico.

Even though my Selene 38 is the smallest in the range we’ve covered more than 20,000 miles in SE Asia; starting in Hong Kong, down to Vietnam and Borneo, then across to Thailand, later south to Malaysia and Singapore.

Everywhere I looked I was impressed with the quality. These are not production boats, but customized, handcrafted, solid vessels. Thank you for building us a beautiful and well founded boat! We look forward to many years of cruising in safety and comfort!

We want everyone in the yard to know just how happy we are with this wonderful boat you have made for us. Please convey our pleasure to everyone involved.

Our Selene « Adagio » has actually exceeded our expectations. Exceptional safety underway, comfortable for extended periods of live-aboard time, and excellence of workmanship are some of the reasons for our high level of satisfaction.

I went out on « Argo » today. The boat looks and performs fantastic. Convey my thanks to all the key people at the yard. The galley looks absolutely amazing. The new sound insulation you have done is really working with minimal vibrations!

We had a wonderful time in the San Juan Islands and Princess Louisa in British Columbia. The boat was perfect! We were in 25 knot winds with beam seas, some of which were well over 8 feet. « Mystic Moon » handled it perfectly!

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China’s Yacht Market: Opportunities and Challenges for Foreign Players (updated)

China appears well-positioned to become a prominent yacht market, given its 14,484km-long coastline and a class of millionaires expected to cross the 20 million mark by the mid-2020s. Despite this, however, sales have been disappointing i n the last 3-5 years due to high import tax and the inability of manufacturers to respond to Chinese client demands. In this article, we provide a general overview of China’s yacht market and discuss the differences in business outlook according to key stakeholders, ranging from optimism over market growth potential or concerns about limited domestic prospects . We also discuss the recent entry of Chinese capital in the industry and how Chinese companies are manufacturing for non-China markets. Finally, we look at opportunities for foreign investors in China’s boat market, including prospects for small and mid-cap companies, and showcase the success cases of Italian companies.

UPDATE: O n August 18, 2 0 22, the Ministry Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), together with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Finance (MOF), the Ministry of Transport (MOT) , and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT), jointly released on the Guidelines on Accelerating the Development of Cruise and Yacht Equipment and the Industry (Guidelines) , clarifying China’s roadmap for the development of the yacht industry through 2025. More details are provided below .  

While North America and Europe remain in the lead as the world’s largest yacht consumers, the Asia-Pacific region has rapidly become one of the fastest-growing yacht markets.   The yacht market in Asia has been skyrocketing post-pandemic, with increased purchases and a growing interest in sailing – sparking what industry experts define as a ‘boom’. On the one hand, countries like Taiwan and China have increased their market share with new builds by locally-based shipyards. However, boat sales to the region are also on the rise.

As of 2021, Asian ownership of superyachts over 40 meters in service accounted for 5.8 percent of the global superyacht fleet. The number of Asian-owned yachts has progressively increased, from 91 at the beginning of 2016 to 109 at the start of 2021.    Countries like Singapore have become active once again in the yacht sales ad brokerage market s after a slow period  during the pandemic that triggered international and regional border closures.   

In China, heightened living standards have led to the increasing demand for luxurious consumer goods, including in the boating industry. According to the China Transport Association’s Cruise Yacht Branch, the total number of yachts in China will increase from 38,100 to 163,510 between 2020 and 2025.   

China’s yacht market: an overview    

Few geographical regions offer the superyacht sector as much room for expansion as the Chinese market does. China has a vast and increasing pool of potential superyacht purchasers, although the country is still in the early stages of yachting growth in terms of domestic infrastructure and ownership. It could still be the right time for such a high-potential market to flourish due to factors like the increase in the country’s per capita purchasing power and that of its ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) population.    

A 2021 wealth report revealed the 10 countries with the highest increase in their UHNW population in 2020 – the so-called ‘top 10 riders’ – with China leading the group at 16 percent growth. Furthermore, in 2021, China surpassed the United States to become the world’s first country with over 1,000 billionaires. The research highlighted that, despite the trade war and the pandemic, China was able to add 259 billionaires to its list, surpassing other nations like the US, India, and Germany.  

With a large number of prospective consumers, China’s relatively new market is even more attractive for foreign businesses. New yacht manufacturers, brand sales agents, yacht customers, private clubs, and exhibits have sprung up throughout the country in recent decades. Meanwhile, China’s boat manufacturing keeps rising steadily, from 29,100 units produced in 2011 to 48,300 units in 2015. China’s yacht industry is estimated to reach US$15.1 billion in 2027, accounting for 17.8 percent of the worldwide market and growing at a CAGR of 3.9 percent between 2020 and 2027.  

Less stringent regulations demonstrating the government’s commitment to the sector  

Many positive government efforts linked to the yachting industry and maritime activities, in general, have lately been enacted, and China is seeing a trend of loosening regulations. At the outset of this decade, two regulatory bodies – the Ministry of Transport and the Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) – announced new, more liberalized criteria and standards for yacht registration and overseas-yacht entry/exit procedures.   

More limitations on boat ownership have been abolished in recent years, and clear maritime traffic legislation has been adopted. The increase of the navigability range, the streamlining of the examination/approval processes, and the inclusion of non-resident yacht registrations are the three most recent major amendments to the rules. These key developments show the government’s commitment to the sector’s growth.  

Also, as wealthy Chinese yacht owners spend about 10 percent of the yacht’s value on maintenance, a large portion of this wealth is reinvested in the local economy. This not only is a great boost for regional GDP but is also in line with the government’s will of shifting its economy away from production to consumption. It has likely prompted Chinese officials to ease the cumbersome registration process for importing a yacht into the country, as well as the requirements for traveling between provinces. Yachts registered in Hong Kong and Macao, for example, were allowed to sail in China’s Pearl River Delta beginning 2018. The first cross-border sailing program has also increased boat orders in the Chinese Mainland by 20 percent to 30 percent.     

Accordingly, The State Council Office evaluated the Guidance on Tourism Industry Acceleration and drafted a National Tourism and Entertainment Outline (2013-2020) in which measures were taken to improve the infrastructure for yacht marinas and cruise terminals, as well as encourage the growth of tourism products.   

Yacht market more prosperous in certain regions than others: The case of Hainan Free Trade Zone   

The yacht business in Hainan Province flourished in 2021 – the Sanya Yachting Association revealed that Sanya, China’s tropical island and premier destination for luxury tourism, hosted almost 160,000 yacht trips, up 47 percent compared to 2020. Moreover, by the end of 2021, the number of new yachts registered reached 323, surging 202 percent year on year.  

This increase is partly due to the Overall Plan for the Construction of Hainan Free Trade Port (“the Masterplan”) that was released in June 2020, which stipulates that by 2025, there will be no tariffs on the island’s import of ships for transportation, tourism, and other purposes. Import tariffs, the value-added tax, and the consumption tax will all be waived for foreign exporters – which will effectively cut prices for foreign-made products.   

Success stories: Italian yacht businesses in China  

With 407 projects and super-yachts totalling 14,994 meters in development in 2021, Italy continues to top the annual report issued by the nautical newspaper ShowBoat International. Azimut-Benetti, Sanlorenzo, and Ferretti Group occupy the first, second, and third place, respectively. 

Despite having eight well-known brands, six shipyards, and over 170 years of history, Ferretti Group is today the only rival in its business to provide a comprehensive range of yachts ranging in size from 8 to 95 meters, and it is very active in China’s yacht market. After defaulting in 2009, the company was bought in 2012 by SHIG–Weichai Group, a large Chinese machinery manufacturer that currently controls 75 percent of the Italian shipbuilder.   

Following the acquisition, the company focused on growing into new markets. It made a great impression in the Asia-Pacific region in the first quarter of 2020, selling about US$73 million and negotiating two new dealership agreements for the distribution of its yachts in Malaysia, Cambodia, and Laos.   The Italian shipbuilder now has offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai, as well as a fully equipped after-sales facility, to meet the needs of its customers in the region. It also inked a Memorandum of Understanding with the Sanya Central Business District (SCBD) to collaborate with the government on the development of the local industry and China’s yacht market in general.

Other than larger and well-established companies, opportunities are there for everybody. According to Giovanni Lovisetti , Senior Associate on the International Business Advisory at Dezan Shira & Associates’ Milan Liaison office , “while huge companies can approach Asian markets by themselves – such as Fincantieri, who has already established a presence in Hainan – several smaller companies are just waiting for the right stimulus to take the first step towards Asia.” This might be the right time for them to step in.   

Roadblocks to the development of China’s yacht market   

High import taxes on foreign boats are one of the primary hurdles to the development of China’s yacht sector. The country has a 43.65 percent tax on boats – although recently reduced to 38.1 percent for motor yachts and 35.6 percent for sailing yachts above 8 meters. Furthermore, since the beginning of the government’s Anti-Corruption Campaign in 2012, potential customers have been reluctant to flaunt their wealth, preferring to keep a low profile and avoid public scrutiny.  

Another considerable barrier to Chinese high-income individuals buying private boats in the Mainland, is the lack of well-equipped marinas, ship repair yards, spare parts suppliers, and all other necessary (and expensive) infrastructure for yacht upkeep and mooring.  

Lastly, in 2015, China strengthened its regulations for yachts travelling in its national waters, restricting the number of passengers onboard to a maximum of 12 people – which made it impossible to arrange large parties and gatherings on board since the crew alone counts six members. Furthermore, China’s southern shoreline land is a particularly difficult marine zone due to ongoing territorial conflicts with neighboring states.  

As a result, several of the world’s most prestigious shipbuilders, like Sunseeker and Ferretti Group, have shuttered their showrooms in Mainland China or eliminated the country from their core target markets, despite their Chinese ownership. Regardless, those companies continue to sell boats to Chinese customers for delivery outside of the Mainland.  

Understanding the Chinese market and its cultural context  

Four purposes for boats are sailing, sports, leisure, and entertainment. For wealthy Chinese buyers, the latter would be the most common option. Given that the high-income Chinese population has little interest in sunbathing, the primary aim of these luxury boats in the contemporary setting would be to serve as a business frontier for hosting meetings, parties, and other business-related events. Yachting, however, has a bad cultural connotation as compared to other activities in a wealthy society.

According to market research, affluent Chinese people like golf, swimming, spas, and yoga as leisure activities, since they are well-known in Chinese culture for providing health benefits , and are thus appealing. Yachting, on the other hand, does not provide comparable physical benefits in the traditional Chinese context. Such cultural premises are fundamental when considering the gap between target customers and the industry culture.  

All things considered, it is not impossible for Chinese customers to shift their perspective since the country’s shopping habits and tastes are fast changing because of the ongoing rise of HNWIs. This means that tastes are subject to change and may be molded if an industry pursues them aggressively. In reality, a lack of brand familiarity and awareness provides first-mover brand opportunities.  

The future of China’s yacht industry    

All in all, between financial crackdowns and setting up zones such as Hainan FTZ, what is the right space for the yacht market to develop?   China’s financial crackdowns continued throughout 2021, with Beijing slamming for-profit education, tanking Ant Financial and Didi IPOs, or bringing the entertainment and gaming business under control, and harnessing local digital titans. As a result, in the era of “Common Prosperity,” it’s worth considering whether China’s yacht market can take off and grow.  

Yet, the central government’s desire to boost consumption and encourage tourism (including yacht tourism) creates unprecedented potential for the boat sector in the coming years, at least for small-to-mid-sized boats. The formation of the Hainan Free Trade Zone and the development of a new port have the potential to turn the island into a hub for China’s yacht culture. The number of registered boats in Sanya has increased from 10 to 500 in the previous decade alone, and yacht rental services have grown in popularity in China, enhancing yacht culture among both the Chinese middle and high-income classes.  

Further, according to the Guidelines on Accelerating the Development of Cruise and Yacht Equipment and the Industry (Guidelines) jointly released by the MIIT and other ministries on August 18, 2 0 22 , there are four development goals to achieve in the yacht industry by 2025: improving the design and construction capacity, refining the foundation of the equipment industry, expanding the demands in the consumer market, and strengthening cooperation and talent cultivation. Sanya is expected to be transformed into a home port for international cruises, outlining several international first-class cruise tourism destinations. Priority is attached to the development of water tourism resources in areas such as the Circum-Bohai Sea Economic Zone, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the coastal city cluster that links Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang, the Hainan Free Trade Port, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the Pearl River-West River Economic Belt, and the Grand Canal Cultural Belt. Meanwhile, Hainan is encouraged to pilot a yacht leasing business. The Guidelines also called for building teams of professional talents along the whole industry chain, covering the design, construction, operation, and management of cruises, yachts , and tourist passenger ships, as well as related tourism services and legal consulting.  

Catering to specific needs

With China’s yachting culture still in its infancy, yacht makers should concentrate on meeting the expectations of Chinese clientele, from emphasizing the design of entertaining rooms to making it easier to hire superyachts on a short-term basis. The scarcity of skilled Chinese Mandarin-speaking specialists and Chinese designers, on the other hand, is stifling the growth of China’s boat sector. Foreign shipbuilding businesses should tailor their offerings to the demands and preferences of Chinese boat buyers, keeping in mind lifestyle and cultural preferences.

For example, Chinese yacht owners seldom spend the night on board and prefer boats with leisure and recreational amenities like KTV (karaoke) rooms. Catering to such needs, which are specific to the Chinese clientele, is an essential part of challenging cultural differences and securing a spot in such a promising market.  

This article was first published on June 21, 2022 and last updated on September 29, 2022.

China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates . The practice assists foreign investors into China and has done so since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assistance in China at [email protected] . Dezan Shira & Associates has offices in Vietnam , Indonesia , Singapore , United States , Germany , Italy , India , and Russia , in addition to our trade research facilities along the Belt & Road Initiative . We also have partner firms assisting foreign investors in The Philippines , Malaysia , Thailand , Bangladesh .

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Braving the China Sea in a thrifted yacht and motley crew, all in the name of sustainability

Korean artist Song Ho-jun's yacht sailed 18 days to get to Hong Kong to participate in this year's Rolex China Sea Race that kicked off on March 27. Song's team of eight sailors - Team Random () - was the first Korean team to compete in the race. The team was sponsored by Bungaejangter, Korea's online secondhand trading app. [BUNGAEJANGTER]

Korean artist Song Ho-jun sells many of his preowned things on Bungaejanter to come up with money to buy himself a yacht. [BUNGAEJANGTER]

Clockwise from left, Choe Sang-back, Cho Byoung-chan, Kim Young-ho, Seo Kyoung-seok, Kwon Tae-woo, Timothee Franco, Kim Tae-ho and the yacht's skipper Song Ho-jun. Team Random () pose for a photograph after arriving at the Philippines’ Subic Bay on April 2. [BUNGAEJANGTER]

Song's DIY satellite [BUNGAEJANGTER]

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Police find missing member of group who reached remote Western Australia coast by boat

Search was conducted in difficult terrain near Mitchell Plateau as Coalition presses government over ‘third boat since November’

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A man has been found in “relatively good condition” after becoming separated from a group of people who reached a remote pocket of the Kimberley coastline in Western Australia by boat.

A source confirmed to Guardian Australia that nine individuals had reached Australia’s mainland but did not confirm what nation they had arrived from.

The Australian Border Force said it did not comment on operational matters, continuing a longstanding tradition established by the Coalition in 2013. A spokesperson for the home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, also said they would not comment on operational matters.

According to the Western Australian police force, an unknown vessel carrying a group of people landed in a remote area of the Kimberley on Friday 5 April. One person became separated from the group, police said.

In a statement on Sunday, WA police confirmed it had found the man during a land operation in an “extremely remote area” with “challenging terrain”.

“A number of WA police resources were deployed to the Mitchell Plateau area this morning … to continue search efforts for a man reported to have been missing in the area since Friday,” it said.

“During a preliminary ground appreciation, WA police officers located the man standing on a track not far from the Truscott Air Base.

“It has been confirmed the man was part of a group that arrived to Australia via an unknown vessel.”

WA police said it was unknown “how or why” the man had become separated from the group, but he was in relatively good condition and receiving medical treatment from a doctor at the Truscott Airbase.

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The shadow foreign minister, Simon Birmingham , was asked about the arrival on Insiders, following reports in The Australian that the group appeared to be of Chinese descent.

Pressed on whether Chinese people seeking protection should be placed into a special category, Birmingham said “consideration of protection is done according to the legal frameworks around refugee environments”.

He then pressed the federal government on its response, noting it was “the third boat since November that appears to have made it to the Australian mainland”.

“Potentially not even making it to the Australian mainland but off-loading passengers and then departing without any detection,” he said.

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“This is a big indictment on the Albanese government if that is the case.”

The incident follows the detection of 39 asylum seekers in a remote part of Western Australia in February at Beagle Bay , and at an Indigenous campsite at Pender Bay.

Authorities believed both groups arrived on the same boat, although Pender Bay is about 25km north of where the first group was found. All individuals were transported to Nauru for processing.

In November, a group of 12 people who arrived on the Western Australian coast were taken into ABF custody .

Labor has maintained the core planks of Operation Sovereign Borders , including offshore detention and turning boats back where safe to do so.

Speaking in February, O’Neil said Labor’s commitment to the policy was “absolute”.

“Every person who has attempted to reach Australia by boat since I have been minister is back in their home country, or in Nauru, having wasted thousands of dollars and having risked their lives,” she said.

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8 Yacht Clubs and Marinas in the Philippines to Moor Your Boat In

FoodfindsAsia.com | 8 Yacht Clubs and Marinas in the Philippines to Moor Your Boat In | Filipinos’ history as a maritime people date back to prehistoric times. In fact, the Philippines’ basic sociopolitical unit today, the barangay, traces its etymological origins to the balangay , the ancient outrigger boats that were used by precolonial Filipino communities to explore and conquer islands this side of the Pacific. As a people belonging to a seafaring culture, it’s no wonder that modern Filipinos are taking a retrospective look at their glorious past as Austronesian mariners and are developing a renewed love for the ocean and marinas as present-day yachtsmen.

Today, Philippine marinas look to accommodate more and more yachts and other pleasure watercrafts as the years go by. In 2017, an ASEAN Briefing op-ed piece named the Philippines as a country with high potential in yacht industry growth. The natural beauty of the Philippine islands and its fantastic bays, combined with a growing interest in leisurely sea travel, can explain the spike in yachting activities throughout the country.

Are you part of the demographic that’s become enamored of the yachting lifestyle? Do you want to know where in the country you can berth your watercraft? Leading sailboat and motorboat authority Europa Yachts is happy to enter the conversation, and recommends the following locations for discovering the Philippines through yachting. Here is a short list of clubs and marinas in the country, organized by island region.  

Manila Yacht Club and Marina, Manila, Metro Manila

Established in 1927, the Manila Yacht Club and Marina is one of the oldest yacht clubs in all of Asia, and is nestled in the scenic Manila Bay. It is also near other well-known landmarks in the city, such as the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the headquarters of the Philippine Navy, and the US Embassy. Facilities in the marina include a launching ramp and a fueling center, and the club itself is host to a restaurant and gorgeous function rooms. The Manila Yacht Club only welcomes visitors who arrive by boat, and it charges an initial security deposit of USD 750 upon arrival. Club membership is mandatory for medium and long-term mooring of boats.

Subic Bay Yacht Club, Zambales

The Subic Bay Yacht Club, which was founded in 1998, upholds itself as the country’s premier yacht club. It operates in the deepest bay in the country, and can host vessels well beyond 50 meters in length. Already benefitting from the innate beauty of the Zambales mountains surrounding it, the club hosts a number of other attractions, including its luxury accommodations, swimming pools, and its own movie theater, bowling alley, and nightclub. Those who venture outside of the club’s premises can also shop for well-priced imported goods at the Subic Freeport Zone, engage in water sports , or sign up for diving excursions.

Punta Fuego Yacht Club, Batangas

Peaceful Punta Fuego is a mecca for those who love the sport of sailing. As per its official website, the Punta Fuego Yacht Club aims to serve “a dynamic and vibrant community of boat enthusiasts and yacht owners.” This it does by playing host to a diverse population of watercrafts, from large catamarans and mono-hull yachts to small boats. Non-members of the club may use the berths for up to 3 weeks, and can refuel at the marina’s fueling station. The yacht club offers other amenities such as locker rooms, shower rooms, Internet facilities, a chart room, and a restaurant called Barracuda Bar, which serves delicious fares. Outside of the yachting crowd, Punta Fuego Yacht Club also caters to those wishing to celebrate weddings, conferences, and corporate events in their opulent quarters.

Puerto Galera Yacht Club, Oriental Mindoro

Further south, yachtsmen may moor at the Puerto Galera Yacht Club in Oriental Mindoro, an island location that’s home to tourist attractions like the Sabang Wreck dive site, lively beachfront resorts, and the Malasimbo Music Festival. Puerto Galera Yacht Club has been in operation for almost thirty years and lends services such as refueling provisions and yacht repairs from its marina. Boat owners also enjoy optimal convenience if mooring here, as they can also shop for spare parts in the nearby Batangas port.

Busuanga Yacht Club, Puerta del Sol Bay Marina, Palawan

Beautiful Palawan is a bucket-list destination for many, especially those who dream of cruising its crystalline waters. Accommodating the yachting community in this island province is the Busuanga Yacht Club, which promises secure mooring amidst breathtaking white-sand beaches. Here, each vessel will benefit from a typhoon-safe harbor, easy refueling, and direct access to transportation hubs like the New Busuanga Airport. Adjoining this marina is the Puerta del Sol Bay Resort, which offers luxurious accommodations to visitors. When not atop the deck of a boat, travelers can also explore the lagoons and freshwater lakes of Coron, go shipwreck diving, or relax in the hot springs of Maquinit.

Iloilo Sailing Club, Arevelo, Iloilo City, Iloilo

Iloilo Province is home to some of the country’s most beautiful old-world architecture, a flourishing ecotourism industry, and delectably fresh seafood cuisine. What will round off an unforgettable visit to Iloilo, however, is an excursion to the Iloilo Sailing Club on a leisure watercraft. The club accepts visitors and encourages membership in the case of medium and long-stay mooring. It also hosts a number of amenities and activities, including a dinghy storage, a beach bar and restaurant, and classes for those who want to learn about sailing. In recent months, the Iloilo Sailing Club has also been a convenient meet-up point for big maritime events, such as the Iloilo-Guimaras Paraw Regatta and the Seafarers’ Job Fair.

Cebu Yacht Club, Mactan Island, Cebu

The historic Mactan Island in Cebu was the site of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s arrival in the Philippines. Now known as a commercial hub that hosts a prolific furniture and musical instruments industries, Mactan is also the location of the Cebu Yacht Club, an institution that is beloved by the locals. Aside from being an ideal spot to restock on much-needed fuel and supplies, the Cebu Yacht Club is also a trusted club to commission for boat repairs. There’s a good vibe in this club for everybody, as it sports both luxury accommodations and a waterfront strip of restaurants that laid-back diners can frequent. MINDANAO

Holiday Oceanview Marina, Samal Island, Davao del Norte

The Holiday Oceanview Marina is a major attraction of Samal Island in Davao del Norte Province, one that welcomes Filipino and foreign yachtsmen alike to moor within its premises. The space is quite roomy, in fact, with 56 berths that can fit vessels up to 15 meters in length. The club also has a boat ramp that can accommodate boats up to 18 meters in length. The well-guarded and weather-safe marina is a gateway to some of Mindanao’s finest attractions, such as the Pearl Farm, Hagimit Falls, and Giant Clam Sanctuary.  

There’s no better way to discover the Philippines from end to end than getting onboard a seaworthy vessel and going on a long cruise, with stops in some of the most beautiful places in the country. Find a safe harbor in any of these major clubs and marinas, and participate in the renaissance of sailing in the Philippines.

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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Prime minister defends border security amid political stoush over boat arrivals, missing man found in WA

Western Australian Police officers have located a man who has been missing since Friday in the state's far north, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese fends off renewed criticism over the country's border security measures.

Police said the man was part of a group that arrived in   Australia via an "unknown vessel".

It was not known how or why the man became separated from the group, but he has been found to be in relatively good condition.

WA Police Armadale Superintendent Mark Longman said the man was found on a track not far from the Truscott Airbase.

"The man has been confirmed as being the same male who was missing from the vessel that landed on the Kimberley coast on Friday,” he said. 

“He’s extremely lucky to have been located in these circumstances alive and well.

"Our part ends on having located him and getting him to medical attention and then it'll be up to other agencies as to where he goes to now."

The man, who Superintendent Longman said was "described as Chinese and aged in his 40s", was receiving medical treatment from a doctor at the Truscott Airbase on Sunday afternoon.

It's believed he had been separated from the group in the vicinity of the Mitchell Plateau.

Plane bound for Nauru

Earlier in the day a Nauru Airlines flight, believed to be carrying passengers from the group of boat arrivals, landed at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland, before departing for Nauru.

It travelled to Queensland from RAAF Base Curtin in WA's Kimberley, according to an online flight tracking site.

The recent development is the third known arrival on WA's coast in five months.

In November 2023, a group of 12 people landed in the same area after travelling from Indonesia via boat.

Earlier this year in February, 39 foreign nationals were discovered in three different locations near Beagle Bay in WA's north.

Prime minister defends border security

Speaking in Melbourne, Mr Albanese defended the government's approach to border security in the face of criticism from the opposition. 

"We will deal with any unauthorised arrivals consistent with Operation Sovereign Borders, and that's what we've done," he said.

"There's been no change in policy since 2013. We'll use all avenues at our disposal to make sure that the borders are protected and make sure we respond in accordance with the principles of Operation Sovereign Borders, and that's what we have again done on this occasion."

The prime minister did not clarify whether he was concerned about the third boat arrival in the Kimberley since November.

"We have a very large coastline," he said.

"What is clear, though, is that people who are unauthorised arrivals will not be settled in Australia; Operation Sovereign Borders principles will apply, as they have been in this case."

WA Premier Roger Cook said he was confident in the government's approach.

"There have been some arrivals of late, [but] in each case the boat arrivals were detained, and they were processed in the usual way," Mr Cook said.

"So this is actually a sign that our border protection policies and regulation is actually working."

'Indictment' on the government

Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham described the latest arrivals in the Kimberley as a failure on the government's part.

"This is the third boat since November that appears to have made it to the Australian mainland, potentially not only making it to the Australian mainland but offloading passengers and then departing without any detection of that boat happening," he said on the ABC's Insiders program.

"This is a big indictment on the Albanese government if that is the case, that boats are making it to the mainland and departing with increasing frequency without detection.

"It comes at a time where the evidence provided to Senate committees and procedures shows that we have a reduction in relation to maritime surveillance, a reduction in relation to aerial surveillance, concerns about the future budget projections for Operation Sovereign Borders and a government that's dismantled the temporary protection visas, a pillar of those arrangements.

"So the Albanese government needs to acknowledge if there are increasing failures here, those problems, their responsibility and to act to fix them."

Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson echoed Mr Birmingham's comments.

"Since this election, this government has done many things to undermine our successful policies to stop people smugglers," he said.

"We warned them before they abolished temporary protection visas that that would give people incentives to get on the boats again to try and come again, and lo and behold, that's exactly what's happening."

Mr Paterson said it appeared the arrivals were being moved to Nauru, where their claims would be assessed.

"It is unusual, if true, that it is Chinese nationals on this people smuggling venture … there haven't been any for a decade, so that is unusual," he said.

"I certainly understand why someone would not want to live under Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party, but it would depend on their individual circumstances.

"If they're found to be refugees then they'll be offered third-country resettlement options, as they should."

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