Richard Liu, the founder and chairman of China's e-commerce giant JD.com, has entered the yacht industry, aiming to let ordinary people to afford to cruise through life.
On February 24, the first working day after China's 9-day new year holidays, Liu announced his yacht brand Sea Expandary during signing a strategic cooperation agreement with the governments of Shenzhen and Zhuhai in the Bay region of Guangdong province.
When asked the motivation of his foray into a new industry, Liu mentioned his "maritime" heritage. "My family has been involved in maritime activities for over a century, and I have a special affection for boats. Even today, I sleep best on a boat. When I graduated from elementary school, my biggest dream was to become a captain, and that dream persisted into my middle school years," the e-commerce tycoon said.
Liu also stated that his involvement with Sea Expandary is limited to a personal investment, and he will not directly participate in its operational management. "We have a CEO and a complete management team; at most, I'll serve as a product manager," said Liu.
Regarding his investment, Liu noted that China's domestic yacht companies generally have small and scattered investments, with almost none exceeding ten million yuan. His current investment is 5 billion yuan, allowing him to compete with leading global firms.
Sea Expandary is expected to invest in a yacht manufacturing base in Zhuhai and set up its China headquarters for yacht operations in Shenzhen. The company will engage in the construction and operation of multiple docks and supporting facilities in Shenzhen. Additionally, Sea Expandary will set up a series of supporting institutions in the Greater Bay Area that includes Hong Kong, including R&D innovation centers, yacht operation service centers, and bonded maintenance centers.
Sea Expandary will focus on new energy intelligent yachts, aiming to propel China's yacht industry into a "green" and "smart manufacturing" lane, thus filling a gap in the civilian shipbuilding sector in China.
Public information shows that the official website of the yacht brand Sea Expandary, created by Liu, is now live at se.360cec.com, with the corporate email info@seaexpandary.com. According to the website, the brand will focus on new energy intelligent yachts, utilizing AI and robotics technology to create safer, smarter, quieter, environmentally friendly, and comfortable yacht products.
"We hope to redefine the yacht industry," Liu told reporters, indicating that all models launched by Sea Expandary will be small new energy yachts. "Most yacht enthusiasts work Monday through Friday and enjoy their time on the water during the weekends. Therefore, we hope to utilize five days for natural charging through wind and solar energy, so that there will be sufficient power for use on the weekends," he said.
Liu also expressed his vision for future yachts that operate without a captain or chef and with only service staff and safety personnel to provide guests with maximum freedom. In terms of safety, each room and area of the yacht will be equipped with numerous modern smart self-rescue devices, ensuring that in extreme situations, any crew member can survive for up to eight hours.
Regarding comfort, Liu revealed that Sea Expandary’s yachts will not use any gearboxes and will rely entirely on electric propulsion, as only electric propulsion can offer ultra-quiet operation with almost zero vibration.
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