Shortly after the Spring Festival holiday, a prominent business figure suddenly appeared in Zhuhai's spotlight. On February 24, the Zhuhai Municipal Government, Shenzhen Marine Development Bureau, and Shenzhen Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone Authority signed cooperation agreements with Tanhai Yachts. Liu Qiangdong attended the project signing ceremony as the actual controller of Tanhai Yachts. Why is the e-commerce giant venturing into yacht manufacturing? For Liu, this move not only fulfills a childhood "captain's dream" but also represents a strategic entry into what he describes as a vast "blue ocean" industry. The project involves a total investment of 5 billion yuan and is located in the equipment manufacturing zone of Zhuhai Economic and Technological Development Zone. Nearby lies Pingsha Town in Jinwan District, China's only specialized yacht town, which hosts the country's earliest, largest, and most complete yacht manufacturing base with several globally debut innovative products originating there. Now, with Liu's ambitious plan to "redefine yachts," what changes will this bring to traditional yacht manufacturing?

For Liu Qiangdong, this venture turns his adolescent "captain's dream" into reality. "My family has been boat people for over a hundred years, so I have a special connection with boats," Liu told media, revealing that his middle school dream was to become a captain. Beyond this romantic notion, the business leader's decision reflects careful calculation. "Guangdong was the first province in China to propose developing the yacht industry twenty years ago," Liu noted, highlighting the region's advantages as a manufacturing powerhouse with complete supply chains, abundant talent resources, and international coastal cities. Zhuhai's yacht industry began its development over two decades ago. The approximately 1-square-kilometer Pingsha Yacht Industrial Park, located on the west bank of the Jitimen Waterway, has grown steadily since its establishment in 2002, forming a comprehensive yacht manufacturing base that reached nearly 1.5 billion yuan in annual output during peak periods. The park now handles core processes including hull construction, interior decoration, and power system installation independently, with over 85% local sourcing ratio that reduces production costs and improves market responsiveness.

By February 2026, Pingsha Town hosted 37 yacht-related enterprises covering manufacturing and supporting services, with over one-third being large-scale companies. These include high-tech enterprises and specialized firms like Sunbird Yachts, Aolong Yachts, Jiahang Yachts, Jieteng Yachts, and Tianyu Yachts. Jieteng Yachts, among the earliest companies in the area, has exported over 500 long-range yachts to Europe and America. Its new 38,000-square-meter factory launched last year triples production efficiency, ranking its long-range yacht technology among the world's top two. Jinwan District's yacht industry has maintained rapid growth, with output value reaching approximately 1.09 billion yuan last year, up 38.68% year-on-year. This manufacturing strength significantly influenced Liu's choice of Zhuhai. However, Liu aims not at traditional yacht production but at "redefining the entire yacht industry" through AI and robotics, featuring new energy propulsion using solar and wind power, fully intelligent navigation, advanced safety systems, and ultra-quiet electric propulsion.

As an e-commerce veteran, Liu excels at supply chain cost control. "Tanhai Yachts' greatest contribution will be developing local supply chains to benefit other domestic yacht brands," he stated, expressing hope to make yachts affordable for ordinary families like cars. In Zhuhai, Tanhai plans to build a modern, intelligent manufacturing base focusing on new energy power, smart navigation, and advanced materials, creating an international demonstration base serving the Greater Bay Area and global markets. Guangdong's yacht market is accelerating with policy support, targeting a 100-billion-yuan industry scale by 2027 through distinctive yacht tourism routes. Notably, efforts to implement cross-border yacht travel between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao are lowering operational barriers. Jinwan District's Jitimen terminal is nearly ready to provide maintenance services for Hong Kong and Macao yachts, with streamlined customs procedures to enhance efficiency.

Jinwan District has signed maintenance agreements with Hong Kong's Discovery Bay Yacht Club and Hong Kong Water Tour Association, planning to upgrade Pingsha Industrial Park into a maintenance hub supporting Zhuhai's development as a regional marine center. Initiatives include incorporating public yacht terminals into port planning, reserving waterfront space, and building launching ramps and temporary berths to facilitate popular yacht consumption. The district aims to extend manufacturing into consumption by establishing international yacht trading centers and docks, promoting yacht tourism including self-driving activities and rentals, and transforming Pingsha into a comprehensive yacht 4S center. This shift from "exclusive luxury" to "mass leisure" aligns with Liu's vision of making 100,000-yuan spacious yachts accessible to working-class families, similar to automobiles' evolution forty years ago. Along Zhuhai's coastline, dreamers like Liu are navigating toward blue oceans, turning aspirations into reality.