Richard Liu Qiangdong, founder and chairman of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, has announced the launch of an independent yacht brand, Sea Expandary, backed by an investment of around $700m (approximately RMB 5bn). The brand aims to bring yachting to households that might otherwise be unable to afford a boat.
Liu has compared his vision to the early development of the automotive sector, arguing that products once considered inaccessible to most consumers can become mainstream over time. He has expressed his ambition to introduce $15,000-level yachts with sufficient onboard space, telling local media he wants to enable working-class families to take part in yachting and “bring yachts into everyday households, like cars.”
At a signing ceremony on Tuesday (24 February 2026), Sea Expandary signed cooperation agreements with the Zhuhai Municipal Government, the Shenzhen Marine Development Bureau and the Qianhai Authority. Under the cooperation framework, the company says it plans to develop a manufacturing site in Zhuhai, southern China. The firm also has plans to create research and development centres, operational service hubs and bonded maintenance facilities across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.
Liu also disclosed that the company has secured orders for five 72-metre twin-hull superyachts from overseas clients.
Sea Expandary also intends to set up its China headquarters in Shenzhen, in Guangdong province. The Shenzhen base is expected to oversee domestic operations, brand management, supply-chain coordination and international market development.
The company has also outlined proposals to build three marinas in Shenzhen and three in Zhuhai.
The new venture marks Liu’s entry into the yacht sector. He has stated that he will not be involved in the company’s daily management and that his primary attention will remain on JD.com.
In comments made to local media, Liu says: “Only by doing this can we truly compete with the world’s top yacht manufacturers in Europe and the United States.” He stated that Sea Expandary’s yachts will be powered “entirely by new-energy technologies”, including wind power and solar charging.
According to Liu, the brand will incorporate artificial intelligence and robotics technologies in its product development. Features outlined in interviews with local media include smart self-rescue systems designed for extreme conditions and pure electric propulsion intended to reduce noise and vibration.
Sea Expandary has indicated that it aims to develop a domestic supply chain in order to reduce reliance on imported components, while positioning itself for exports to Europe and the United States.
Industry data from China’s transport ministry shows that the country’s yacht fleet has increased from roughly 4,500 vessels to nearly 10,000 over the past three years. The expansion has coincided with sustained economic growth, a larger urban middle class and a rising number of high-net-worth individuals – all factors that have supported the development of the leisure marine sector.
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