Wenshang buys the world's only six-star catamaran cruise with 24 flat seaview rooms

Catamaran cruise



Swimming pool on cruise



The "China Star" internal lounge has 24 square meters of sea view rooms and Wenzhou snacks fish cake Wenzhou businessmen raised 65 million US dollars to buy the world's only six-star catamaran "China Star" March 8th In Hong Kong, the cruise ship "China Star", which is under the control of Wenzhou, will be on trial on March 8.

This cruise was initiated by the Wenzhou Private Capital Investment Service Center last year and was established by a Chinese cruise company. The price was 65 million U.S. dollars, equivalent to about 416 million yuan at the exchange rate of the time.

Huang Weijian was the initiator of the acquisition. He has multiple identities and is currently a member of the All-China Youth Federation, chairman of the Zhejiang Private Investment Corporation, head of the Wenzhou Private Capital Investment Service Center, and chairman of the Wenzhou Financial Harbor Development Co., Ltd.

When Wenzhou was caught in the crisis of the capital chain last year, he initiated an industrial fund to guide the industrial transformation and acquired the cruise ship. Today, Wenzhou is still "in crisis". Huang Weijian said that the cruise ship "China Star" will also need to be backdoor financing, and then acquire 4-5 ships. Cruise liners make the cruise market bigger.

Why Buy "Chinese Star"?

Huang Weijian Huang Weijian, who was occasionally aware of the business opportunity that was born in 1972, is a typical Wenzhouese with a keen sense of business. Anything he does will be studied thoroughly before making a decision.

He said that the acquisition of this cruise was actually a coincidence. In mid-April 2011, he attended the Chongqing Wenzhou Week with the Wenzhou economic and trade delegation. During the visit, he was told by an overseas Chinese in Paraguay that the "Star of Asia" cruise was to be sold and the price was appropriate.

This world's only six-star catamaran cruise ship is 131.2 meters long and 32 meters wide. There are 172 rooms on 12 floors and can carry more than 400 passengers.

According to an insider of a large domestic shipyard, the current domestic shipyards can only build inland river luxury cruise ships, and there is still no capacity for ocean liners that require very high internal design and decoration concepts.

Huang Weijian built an abacus in the heart of this super luxury product. After returning from the survey, he learned that cruise travel is a popular international travel resort in recent years. The cruise ship is not only a combination of transportation, accommodation facilities, restaurants, entertainment venues, fitness centers, but also a mobile "entertainment city", also known as "sea recreation resort." This is an industry with rapid demand growth. In the following months, he quickly completed the acquisition through a company established in Hong Kong.

He did not buy the cruise ship alone. Currently, there are more than a dozen international cruise vessels berthing in the country. No one is controlled by China National Asset Management. After the acquisition, the “China Star” is the only domestic-owned cruise ship.

Zheng Weihang, Secretary General of the Cruise and Yacht Club of the China Association for Transportation and Transportation, said that the blanks of Chinese cruise operations are mainly due to capital and experience. First, the financial risks of operating a cruise company are so large that the purchase of a luxury cruise ship will cost hundreds of millions of US dollars. A huge capital chain, the general enterprises dare not easily get involved; second is the lack of domestic cruise operations experience and management level is insufficient.

“For China, the marine industry is a turning point and the threshold is low. It is a blank in China.” Huang Weijian said that the population of the cruise industry in China has grown from 200,000 to 780,000 people a year, and it took less than 4 The annual increase in time is very large. It can be said that China will be the largest market for cruise ships in the future.

Huang Weijian said that he did not buy the cruise ship alone. Instead, he started an industry fund to raise funds through its responsible Wenzhou Private Capital Investment Service Center. At the time of fundraising, it included Hong Kong, Taiwan and Wenzhou local roads. Capital is very enthusiastic.

What will you see when you board the "Star of China"?

After 24 square meters of sea-view rooms and Wenzhou snack fish cakes were purchased successfully, Huang Weijian changed its name to "China Star" and has now completed the conversion. Huang Weijian said that the “Star of China” will be on trial on March 8th in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour. After the airline’s approval procedures are in place, it’s ready to sail. Tickets start at RMB 1,185 per person.

In May, “China Star” will formally open up a variety of combined travel routes from Zhoushan, Xiamen, Shanghai, Qingdao, Tianjin, and Shenzhen to Chinese Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and other countries and regions, and determine according to seasons, sea conditions, and other circumstances. On the corresponding routes, tourists including Wenzhou will board the corresponding ports and the annual route will reach more than 50 voyages.

Huang Weijian said that before the official start of sailing, he must first perfect himself and transform the cruise ship into the habits of Chinese people. There are generally no hair dryers or water heaters on the cruise ship, but we are all equipped with it. Many cruise ships have internal cabins, 18 square meters of rooms to live in 4 people, and we build sea view rooms, 24 square meters rooms to live in two people.

Huang Weijian strives for the best in grades, facilities and services. Huang Weijian said that the "Star of China" is also pursuing the infusion of Chinese cultural connotations. It will also provide a stage for beauty contests and movie shoots.

Huang Weijian told reporters that the "Star of China" is different from traditional cruise ships. The goal is to create a high-end business, leisure and entertainment club, and will launch a series of "mainland cultures" with Chinese characteristics on the boat, especially the Chinese culture. For example, in terms of food and beverages, it is not just coffee and Western food. They specifically look for cooks to make Wenzhou snack fish cakes and Chinese tea.

"Every voyage has a theme, such as youth trips, romantic trips, etc." Huang Weijian said that the "Star of China" will also gather the latest exotic products from various countries to make tourists eye-opener.

Huang Weijian positioned the customer group in business and leisure. Huang Weijian did not worry about the profit of the "Star of China." “Businessmen are not profitable. Earnings, which mainly includes on-board consumption, ferry tickets, and extended income around the homeport, this year’s profitability target depends on everyone’s expectations.”

To build a cruise fleet Huang Weijian also wants to continue to introduce 4 to 5 international cruise ships, Huang Weijian, said that after the “China Star” cruise ship is officially set sail, it is also required to list back in Hong Kong. "The additional issuance of shares continues to take over cruise ships. This is difficult to do on the mainland. However, we are registered in Hong Kong as a cruise company. It is much easier to do this. At present, the shell company has generally been selected."

Obviously, Huang Weijian's gaze will not only stop on a cruise ship operating the "Star of China." Huang Weijian said that they want to build a Chinese cruise ship fleet and that cruise operations, expansion, and shelling are going "three steps" at the same time.

At present, the China Cruise Line Co., Ltd., which brings together Zhejiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan Capital, has been established. Huang Wei has been appointed as the chairman of the board of directors. According to its introduction, the company plans to invest a total of 2 billion yuan to build China's first domestic cruise fleet with Zhoushan as its home port.

The "China Star" is the first phase of the fleet. The second phase of the project also plans to invest 1 billion to 1.5 billion yuan, continue to introduce 4 to 5 international cruise ships, and gradually open international routes from Zhoushan to Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia.

Huang Weijian said that another background for choosing to enter the cruise industry is that both the country and Zhejiang Province encourage the development of the marine economy, and the cruise industry is an entry point with a relatively low threshold. “For example, the country is very encouraged to apply for a route.”

At present, Huang Weijian has set up the home port of the cruise ship in Zhoushan. However, as a Wenzhou native, Huang Weijian still wants to have a home port in Wenzhou.

The "two sessions" proposal: The construction of the home port of Wenzhou's cruise ship coincides with the "two sessions" in Wenzhou. Huang Weijian, a member of the CPPCC National Committee, passed this idea to the Wenzhou municipal government through the form of a proposal. The length of this proposal is nearly 3,000 words. The core is: building the home port of Wenzhou cruise.

The cruise terminal is usually divided into the home port, cruise port and destination port of the cruise ship. The home port of the cruise ship refers to the comprehensive service facilities and equipment required for the docking of large cruise ships and the entry and exit of cruise ships, as well as the provision of comprehensive services for the economic development of the cruise ship. . Some experts pointed out that the economic benefits of the home port of the cruise ship are 10 to 14 times higher than the port of call.

Huang Weijian said that in fact, Wenzhou has a unique advantage, with mountains, rivers and seas blending together, and the tourism resources are very rich. It is entirely possible to build the homeport of Wenzhou Cruise (the cruise liner Wenzhou International Passenger Transport Center). The government has made specific plans to guide the investment of private capital and boost the development of Wenzhou's cruise tourism industry, which will become a new economic growth point in Wenzhou.

Wenzhou Private Capital's "Icebreaking Trip"

The province has already put the development of cruise tourism on the agenda. Huang Weijian also has a role as “Municipal Funds Matchmaker”. At present, he is responsible for Wenzhou private capital investment service center is a "find a project for the capital, looking for capital for the project" of private capital institutions.

At present, there are four funds under this private capital center, namely tourism, culture, education, and cruise funds. The operation of the fund is to choose the project to intervene.

Regarding Huang Weijian’s “leadership” in investment in the field of cruise ships, Zhou Dewen, head of the Wenzhou SME Development Association, believes that this is an “ice-breaking journey” for Wenzhou’s private capital, as the profits of traditional enterprises have fallen sharply in recent years, and many Wenzhou’s capitals have no idea where to invest. While the cruise industry offers a new alternative.

On January 5, 2012, Zhejiang Province issued the "Implementation Opinions on Supporting Zhejiang Businessmen to Entrepreneurial Innovation to Promote the Development of Zhejiang Province," stating that it is necessary to actively guide Zhejiang businessmen to invest in emerging industries such as cruise ships, and will introduce relevant supporting policies and measures to support them.

Yesterday, an insider from the Zhejiang Provincial Tourism Bureau revealed to reporters that at present the development of cruise tourism in the province has been put on the agenda.