In December 2025, I made a steep, brief hike under the low winter sun to the apex of a place called Jingshan Park. There, a crowd gathered around a nearly 300-year-old temple to gaze southward at what appeared to be a colossal and elaborate movie set dropped into the modern capital of 23 million people.
The Forbidden City dates back to the 13th century and sits at the heart of the bustling metropolis of Beijing, with symmetrical layouts forming a central axis of cultural sites that make the city a world destination. I posed for photos with the Forbidden City in the background and listened intently as my host, Selene Yachts founder and CEO Howard Chen, explained that the spine of imperial structures represents a cosmic connection of heaven and earth. Its structures highlight the symmetry of the natural world and the synchronization of China’s millennia of imperial life.
Later, as the sun set and the temperatures fell into the high teens, our tour group explored the hutongs, narrow alleys that weave throughout the area. We dropped in at a tiny shop for dumplings and jasmine tea. Howard regaled us with more history.
The sheer magnitude of Beijing was awe-inspiring. And nearly as impressive was my reason for traveling to this part of the world. Just a few days before our Beijing sojourn and about 1,500 miles to the south, a crowd gathered at Selene’s Jet-Tern Shipyard. There were boat dealers from 11 countries, about 35 Selene owners, and the yard’s hundreds of
artisans and other staffers. I was there with them to celebrate the grand opening of the 400,000-square-foot expansion of the Zhuhai yard.
Three new Selene yachts were lined up along a bulkhead that flanked the facility, all slated for transport ships that would head to the United States. After several people spoke, including Chen and Selene Chairman Eugene Chao, we were surprised with a Chinese dragons dancing team and ear-splitting fireworks. Then we toured the shipyard, and enjoyed food and libations. The party went well into the evening, with more fireworks and a red-tinted, full moon rising the east, a literal symbol of the builder’s namesake: Selene, the Greek goddess of the moon.
Such extravagance is the proper way to mark a multimillion-dollar investment and the goal of doubling production, but I’m equally impressed by the sincerity and heart of Howard Chen and his staff. The spirit of the workforce was undeniable, as was the pride in seeing these yachts come to life.
The Selene Yachts team is betting on the future at a time when we are seeing uncertainly and contraction in the marine industry. The factory expansion is the first wave of growth that will include a new marina, a 300-ton Travelift and new model lines. With more than 450 boats plying the brine all over the world, Selene’s target of splashing 1,000 boats looks promising.
In fact, what I saw during the past year from a range of builders and marine outfits was the a similar level of confidence. The industry feels like a beefy steel hull making mincemeat out of a formidable head sea. I am heartened by the wealth of innovative products as the marine industry, as a whole, charges into adverse conditions.
This article originally appeared in the March 2026 issue of Passagemaker magazine.
