First outbound yacht departs Qingshui Bay Port after change

Premium facilities: Qingshui Bay Yacht Marina in Lingshui, Hainan province. [Photo/VCG]

The Chinese-flagged yacht Yangdutong on Sept 7 departed from Qingshui Bay Yacht Marina in Lingshui — in China's southernmost Hainan province — bound for Hong Kong, after completing exit procedures.

According to the Sanya Immigration Inspection Station, located in the port city of Sanya, it was the first outbound yacht to depart from the port area since it was officially opened to international vessels. With approval from the State Council, the Nanshan, Yinggehai and Qingshui Bay port areas of Sanya Port were officially opened to international vessels on July 3.

While the Nanshan and Yinggehai port areas mainly serve cargo and energy-related vessels, the Qingshui Bay port area focuses on providing international yachts with berthing facilities and entry and exit services.

Its opening provides international yachts with a dedicated facility for entry and exit procedures and it's expected to further support Hainan's integration into the global yacht economy.

Li Yongshan, an official at the Sanya Immigration Inspection Station, said the station would take the opening of the Qingshui Bay port area as an opportunity to better meet the needs of international yachts engaged in cross-border voyages.

It will continue to optimize inspection procedures for inbound and outbound yachts, improve the port clearance efficiency and support the high-quality development of Hainan's yacht industry.

In recent years, the Sanya Immigration Inspection Station has explored new yacht supervision mechanisms and clearance models in support of the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port.

It's introduced a range of innovative immigration management services and policies — including measures to facilitate overseas voyages for foreign vessels and a grid-based chain management model for overseas boats — further facilitating entry and exit procedures for international yachts.