At around 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 7, the Chinese-flagged yacht Yangdutong departed from the Clearwater Bay Yacht Marina in Lingshui, Hainan, and began sailing toward Hong Kong, China.

The voyage marked the successful customs clearance of the first outbound yacht since the Clearwater Bay area of Sanya Port was officially opened to vessels engaged in international voyages.

With approval from the State Council of China, the Nanshan, Yinggehai, and Clearwater Bay areas of Sanya Port were officially opened to vessels engaged in international voyages on July 3, 2026.

While the Nanshan and Yinggehai port areas primarily serve cargo and energy vessels, the Clearwater Bay port area focuses on providing entry and exit services for international yachts,

offering a dedicated port facility for international yachts to complete customs clearance procedures, and expanding options for cross-border yacht arrivals, departures, and berthing.

In recent years, Sanya has explored new yacht supervision mechanisms and customs clearance models in the context of the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port, continuously improving the convenience and efficiency of customs clearance procedures for international yachts.

After receiving advance notification of the outbound voyage of the Chinese-flagged yacht Yangdutong, Sanya authorities conducted preliminary reviews of vessel documents and verification of passenger information and coordinated with relevant inspection authorities, the vessel's agent, and the marina operator to streamline inspection and customs clearance procedures. Border inspection personnel efficiently completed identity verification, vessel inspection, and outbound formalities, minimizing the wait and ensuring a smooth and efficient departure for the outbound yacht.

As the benefits of the new outbound yacht policy continue to emerge, the Clearwater Bay port area will leverage local yacht berth resources to provide strong support for cross-border yacht voyages, berthing for international events, and yacht maintenance and servicing, further strengthening the development of Hainan's yacht industry and contributing to the development of Hainan as an international tourism and consumer purchasing center.