GranOcean Opens Solar-Powered Shipyard as 32m X-32 Flagship Takes Shape

GranOcean has expanded its superyacht-building capacity in China with a new 300,000-square-foot production facility in Zhuhai’s Jinwan District. The yard is supporting the builder’s semi-custom W-Series and fully custom X-Series, including the 32-metre X-32 power catamaran now under construction.

The new facility is powered by a large-scale solar-energy installation, according to the builder. For Superyacht Guide, the more important industrial development is the extra build capacity it gives GranOcean as the company moves further into the 24-to-32-metre custom market.

X-Series extends to 32 metres

GranOcean’s X-Series ranges from 24 to 32 metres and is developed around individual owner requirements. The X-32 is a 105-foot carbon-fibre power catamaran designed by Howard Apollonio, with engineering by Gurit and interior and exterior design by GranOcean.

The builder quotes an intended range of approximately 5,000 nautical miles for the flagship. That target will depend on final propulsion, loading and operating profile and should be treated as a builder specification until the completed yacht is tested.

Custom features drive yard requirements

The X-32 platform can be configured with an owner’s apartment, bow swimming pool, twin tender and toy garages, and helipad capability. Such options create very different engineering and outfitting demands from a straightforward production catamaran.

A larger production hall gives the builder more room to manage those owner-specific choices while maintaining parallel projects. GranOcean says the facility is intended to support both its semi-custom and fully custom programmes.

Solar power moves into yacht production

The company says the facility’s electricity is supplied by a large-scale solar system. Renewable power at a shipyard does not by itself determine the environmental footprint of a completed yacht, which also depends on materials, supply chains and years of operation.

It does, however, show builders looking beyond onboard technology when considering energy use. Manufacturing facilities are an increasingly visible part of the industry’s sustainability claims and need measurable operational data to support them.

December launch target for the X-32

GranOcean’s July announcement scheduled the X-32 for launch in December 2026. The project therefore provides a near-term test of the expanded Zhuhai yard’s ability to deliver a fully custom carbon-fibre yacht at the top of its range.

For the wider superyacht sector, the investment adds capacity in a part of Asia where custom yacht construction is still less concentrated than in Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Türkiye. The X-32 will be an important reference project for GranOcean as it seeks a larger role in that market.