Liu Qiangdong invests 5 billion yuan to enter the yacht industry and establish an independent yacht brand Sea Expandary

Shanghai Securities News, China Securities Network (Reporter Feng Xinyi) — On February 24, JD.com founder Liu Qiangdong announced the establishment of an independent yacht brand, Sea Expandary, with a 5 billion yuan investment in Guangdong to develop the yacht industry. Liu Qiangdong stated that the domestic yacht industry is characterized by small, scattered, and weak investments, with almost no yacht manufacturing company investing more than 10 million yuan. However, yachts are capital- and technology-intensive industries, and investing 5 billion yuan in Guangdong is necessary to compete with top global yacht manufacturers in Europe and America.

According to Shanghai Securities News, Liu Qiangdong plans to develop the yacht industry across the entire value chain, including R&D, manufacturing, sales, operations, leasing, brokerage, and services. On February 24, the Sea Expandary brand signed strategic cooperation agreements with governments in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and other areas. Sea Expandary plans to invest in building a yacht manufacturing base in Zhuhai and establish the China headquarters for yacht business in Shenzhen, participating in the construction and operation of multiple docks and supporting facilities there. Additionally, Sea Expandary will set up a series of supporting institutions in the Greater Bay Area, including R&D innovation centers, yacht operation service centers, and bonded maintenance centers.

According to its official website, Sea Expandary aims to be a leading global green intelligent yacht ecosystem, creating a comprehensive yacht industry chain that includes R&D and design, manufacturing, global sales, yacht club services, and marine scientific research. The brand will focus on new energy intelligent yachts, with deep integration of AI and robotics technologies.

Sources from JD.com reveal that Sea Expandary will invest in a modern, intelligent yacht manufacturing base in Zhuhai, focusing on R&D and manufacturing in new energy power systems, intelligent driving systems, new materials, and interior design. Its goal is to become a demonstration base for the yacht industry, rooted in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and radiating globally with international influence. In Shenzhen, Sea Expandary is expected to establish the China headquarters for yacht business, overseeing domestic yacht operations, brand management, supply chain coordination, high-end talent recruitment, and international market expansion. It will participate in the construction and operation of multiple docks and supporting facilities in Shenzhen and cultivate a “Yacht+” business model.

Recently, China has issued a series of encouraging policies related to the yacht industry. At the end of January, the General Office of the State Council issued the “Work Plan for Accelerating the Cultivation of New Growth Points in Service Consumption,” which proposed promoting high-quality yacht consumption. On February 6, Liu Dong, head of the comprehensive planning department of the Ministry of Transport, stated at a routine policy briefing that the Ministry is accelerating the development of measures to expand yacht consumption, aiming to enhance supply capacity while ensuring safety and promoting the industry’s transition toward mass and scaled consumption. Prior to this, multiple ministries jointly issued the “Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Cruise and Yacht Equipment and Industry,” and local policies encouraging yacht industry development have been introduced in Hainan, Guangdong, Jiangsu, and other regions.