Shanghai International Yachting Week opened recently at the North Bund International Passenger Center in Hongkou District, bringing together industry leaders, government officials and visitors for a weeklong event that combines yacht exhibitions, waterfront leisure and business exchanges.
The event is taking place along the North Bund waterfront for the first time. Organizers moved the yacht exhibition outdoors and integrated it with a waterfront lifestyle carnival, creating a two-kilometer public event that combines industrial exchange, cultural experiences and consumer activities.
A key announcement at the opening ceremony was the establishment of Burgess China in Hongkou. Founded in 1975, Burgess is a global superyacht services company specializing in the sale, charter, management and new-build consulting of superyachts ranging from 30 meters to more than 100 meters in length.
The company operates 14 offices worldwide, manages more than 100 yachts for sale and charter, and entered the Asian yacht market in 2015.
The event also witnessed the release of the Strategic Initiative for Jointly Promoting High-quality Development of Shanghai's Yacht Industry, while the Yangtze River Delta Yacht Development Alliance was officially established.
The alliance brings together nine yacht industry associations and clubs from Shanghai, and neighboring Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces to promote regional cooperation, government-business coordination and industry development.
Organizers said the agreements and new industry platforms introduced during the event are expected to attract more high-end shipping service resources to the North Bund, helping develop the area into a superyacht destination and an international waterfront district while supporting the growth of Hongkou's cruise and yacht economy.
The event also aims to make yachting more accessible to the general public.
Traditionally regarded as a niche recreational activity, yachting has rarely been part of everyday urban leisure.
This year's carnival moves the exhibition from indoor halls to the North Bund waterfront, allowing the public to participate through interactive experiences and open-air activities during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday.
Hongkou, whose development has long been tied to its port, is home to the North Bund, located at the confluence of the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek.
The district features 3.4 kilometers of waterfront and a professional marina at the International Passenger Center capable of accommodating 50 yachts simultaneously. It is also Shanghai's only marina authorized to receive foreign-registered yachts.
Unlike conventional yacht exhibitions that focus primarily on vessel displays, this year's event combines yacht showcases with tourism, retail, sports and business networking.
Visitors can participate in yacht boarding experiences, yacht yoga sessions, parent-child educational activities and sailing-themed handicraft workshops, creating an integrated experience that connects on-water recreation with waterfront consumption and broader tourism resources.
The weeklong carnival stretches across the North Bund's two-kilometer waterfront and features multiple themed areas open throughout the day and evening.
At the yacht exhibition area, around 30 yachts are displayed at the International Passenger Center marina through custom-built exhibits, dry berths and standard exhibition spaces.
International luxury yacht brands including Azimut, Ferretti and Sanlorenzo are exhibiting alongside Chinese smart yacht manufacturers and yacht clubs.
A waterfront market featuring more than 100 vendors offers recreational vehicle dining, street food, cultural and creative products, handmade crafts and beauty products.
Nineteen specialty bars form a riverside cocktail district, including four bars ranked among Asia's Top 50, offering exclusive yacht-themed cocktails. Evening entertainment includes themed waterfront concerts, outdoor late-night movie screenings and all-day pickleball courts.
Additional themed zones offer outdoor camping experiences along Gaoyang Road with LED campfires, vintage recreational vehicles, boutique coffee, rope-knot workshops and live music.
The International Aviation Center area has been transformed into a French Riviera-style street featuring nearly 20 vendors selling fragrances, handicrafts and light meals, while the eastern marina hosts water sports including platform boating and stand-up paddleboarding.
Interactive programs such as yacht boarding tours, afternoon tea aboard yachts, family educational activities and stamp-collecting games are available for visitors of all ages, allowing residents and tourists to experience a waterfront lifestyle that combines yachting, music, sports, food and camping.
Shanghai International Yachting Week 2026 will run through June 21.
Hongkou officials said the district will continue leveraging the North Bund's waterfront advantages by improving yacht industry infrastructure, expanding waterfront cultural and tourism offerings, promoting cross-sector industrial integration and strengthening the district's yacht industry brand.
The long-term goal is to establish the North Bund as one of China's leading international yacht waterfront districts and a premier superyacht destination while supporting Shanghai's development as an international shipping center and world-renowned tourism city.