Attention to detail has always been in our blood
For 156 years, Cheoy Lee Shipyards has understood that endurance is not the refusal of change but its careful mastery. Now, under fourth-generation director Martin Lo, the Hong Kong-based family shipyard is launching CL Yachts — a luxury division whose two debut vessels, the CLC115 catamaran and CLB65 SUV motoryacht, weave hybrid propulsion, solar energy, and smart-home technology into the oldest of human pursuits: the desire to move gracefully across water. The sea, it seems, has always rewarded those who learn from it.
- A government contract to cut Hong Kong harbor emissions quietly became the creative spark for an entirely new luxury catamaran line — necessity reshaping ambition.
- The CLC115 has already collected design awards before its concept is even finalized, signaling that the market's hunger for eco-conscious superyachts is outpacing the industry's ability to supply them.
- The CLB65 SUV motoryacht completed sea trials hitting 29 knots, proving that family-friendly interiors and serious performance are no longer a contradiction in terms.
- Cheoy Lee is racing to future-proof its production floor — signing AI robotics research agreements with Hong Kong Polytechnic University and building a new aluminum shed — before the next wave of maritime regulation arrives.
- The challenge is precision: robots built for massive steel hulls don't translate to mid-size yards, forcing Lo to engineer bespoke solutions rather than borrow from the industry playbook.
Martin Lo directs Cheoy Lee Shipyards with the quiet confidence of someone who knows the company has already outlasted most of its rivals. Founded in Shanghai in 1870 and relocated to Hong Kong in the 1930s, the family shipyard is now in its fourth generation under Lo's stewardship — and it is building toward its next century with two very different luxury yachts.
The CLC115 catamaran was born from an unlikely source: a 2025 government contract to reduce carbon emissions in Hong Kong harbor. Cheoy Lee built a fleet of catamaran ferries with Sydney naval architects Incat Crowther, and Lo noticed how efficiently the hulls performed. He saw the same instinct emerging in the private yacht market — a surge in demand for catamaran motoryachts — and decided to apply what he'd learned at scale. The result is a 115-foot tri-deck catamaran developed with Incat Crowther and Shenzhen's Supertomato Studio, offering five or six configurable staterooms, hybrid propulsion, solar panels, and a Smart Home energy management system. It has already won multiple design awards and drawn interest from buyers in the United States and Asia.
The CLB65 SUV motoryacht takes a different approach — lower, faster, and built for families who want generous interior living without a flybridge overhead. Fresh from sea trials in May, it reaches 29 knots on twin Caterpillar C18 diesels and features a versatile aft storage room that can shift between crew quarters, toy storage, or beach club depending on the voyage. Both vessels share the same CZone monitoring system, wraparound windows, and the obsessive attention to detail that has kept Cheoy Lee's 1950s sailboats still sailing today.
Lo is also developing a long-range steel superyacht series with Florida designer Nick Boksa and has signed a research partnership with Hong Kong Polytechnic University to explore AI robotics, alternative propulsion, and green materials. A new aluminum production shed is underway. For a shipyard that has navigated wars, relocations, and a century and a half of maritime change, this moment feels less like disruption than like a familiar rhythm — mastering new materials while honoring the craft that made the old ones last.
Martin Lo stands at the helm of a shipyard that has been building vessels for 156 years, and he carries the weight of that history lightly. As director of Cheoy Lee Shipyards and its luxury yacht division CL Yachts, he describes his role with characteristic understatement: wearing many hats. What he means is that he oversees shipbuilding operations across Hong Kong and Zhuhai while steering a brand-new motoryacht line toward the future—a future he believes belongs to catamarans and hybrid propulsion systems.
Cheoy Lee's story begins in Shanghai in 1870, relocated to Hong Kong in the 1930s, and has remained a family operation ever since. Lo is the fourth generation to lead it. The company built sailboats in the 1950s and 1960s that are still running today, a fact he mentions not as boast but as evidence of something deeper: the company's obsession with detail and durability. That same philosophy now shapes two very different vessels that represent where CL Yachts is headed.
The first is the CLC115, a 115-foot catamaran that emerged from an unexpected place: a 2025 government contract to reduce harbor carbon emissions in Hong Kong. Cheoy Lee built a fleet of catamaran ferries in partnership with Sydney-based naval architects Incat Crowther—four 40-meter and two 35-meter all-carbon passenger catamarans, plus two hybrid 40-meter versions. Lo watched how efficiently these hulls moved through the water, how light they were, how simple to operate. He saw something the market was already seeing: a sudden surge in demand for catamaran motoryachts under 100 feet. Why not take what he'd learned from ferries and apply it to luxury?
Working again with Incat Crowther on the hull design and Shenzhen-based Supertomato Studio on interiors, Lo spent about twelve months developing the CLC115—a tri-deck catamaran still in concept refinement. The boat has already won a Platinum Muse Design Award, a Hainan International Yacht Design Bronze Award, and earned a shortlist spot for the International Yacht and Aviation Awards 2026. It offers five or six staterooms with flexible configurations: the main-deck guest cabin can convert into a gym, massage room, nursery, or nanny quarters. New layouts coming soon will include options for a mid-deck master, Jacuzzi, or swimming pool. A 40-meter model is in development.
What sets the CLC115 apart is its commitment to what Lo calls "eco-friendly technology." The catamaran offers hybrid propulsion options and integrated solar panels. Its Smart Home module manages climate control, lighting, and other systems to maximize energy efficiency. Lo is also exploring carbon-fiber construction and reusable resin systems. The boat targets both private owners and the charter market, and when he introduced it, he received encouraging feedback from the United States and Asia.
The second vessel is the CLB65 SUV, a 65-foot coupe motoryacht that completed inclination tests in mid-April and sea trials in May. This is a family boat, designed for easy enjoyment and large interior living spaces protected from the elements. It has no flybridge—a choice that makes it feel more dynamic. The first hull carries a pair of 1,136-horsepower Caterpillar C18 diesel engines and can reach approximately 29 knots at half load. An alternative option uses 1,000-horsepower Volvo Penta D13 pods. One distinctive feature: a multifunctional storage room aft that can serve as a temporary crew cabin, water-toy storage, or beach club.
Despite their differences in size and purpose, both yachts share core CL Yachts DNA. Both feature the Smart Home system and the CZone system for onboard monitoring and control. Both prioritize ergonomic design, spacious interiors, and expansive wraparound windows that connect occupants to the sea. Both reflect a philosophy that has kept 70-year-old sailboats still in service: attention to detail as a way of life.
Lo is also developing a new line of long-range steel-hulled superyachts in collaboration with Florida-based designer Nick Boksa: the Discovery 115, 120, and 127. These high-volume explorers feature bridge-deck master suites, beach clubs, and generous sundecks with bars, grills, and spa tubs. Meanwhile, Cheoy Lee has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hong Kong Polytechnic University to jointly research artificial intelligence robotics, alternative-powered vessels, and green materials. The company is experimenting with robotic welding and smart robots for production, though Lo notes that robots designed for large steel ships don't suit medium or small yards like his. He's also building a new aluminum production shed and currently constructing aluminum crew transfer vessels in both monohull and multihull forms.
For a shipyard that has survived wars, relocations, and the entire arc of modern maritime history, the present moment feels like an inflection point. Lo is not abandoning steel or composite construction—he's mastering all three materials. He's not abandoning tradition—he's embedding it into every new design. He's simply embracing change, constantly, which is perhaps the truest way to honor a 156-year legacy.
Citas Notables
I balance my time between strategically overseeing shipbuilding operations and guiding the development of our luxury yacht division, ensuring projects meet the highest standards of quality and innovation.— Martin Lo, Director of Cheoy Lee Shipyards and CL Yachts
We fully embrace change, constantly.— Martin Lo
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
You mentioned that building those government ferries in 2025 sparked the idea for the CLC115. Was it really that direct—you saw an efficient hull and thought, "That could be a yacht"?
It wasn't just seeing it work. It was understanding why it worked. The ferries were exceptionally light, easy to operate, and the hull forms were remarkably efficient. But what really caught my attention was the market signal—suddenly everyone wanted catamarans under 100 feet. We had the moulds from the 35 and 40-meter ferries. The pieces were there. I just needed to ask: what if we applied what we learned about efficiency and sustainability to luxury?
The CLC115 has already won multiple design awards, but it's still in concept stage. What are you still refining?
The general arrangement, primarily. We're working with Incat Crowther to optimize the range—figuring out how much space the engines and generators will actually need before we lock down the final dimensions. We're also developing new layout options, including mid-deck master configurations and amenities like Jacuzzis and swimming pools. It's not about rushing to market. It's about getting it right.
You're exploring hybrid propulsion, solar panels, smart home systems, reusable resins, carbon-fiber construction. That's a lot of innovation happening at once. How do you prioritize?
I prioritize what the market is asking for and what the technology can actually deliver. The hybrid systems—I understand those now because I built two hybrid ferries. Solar panels make sense on a cruising catamaran. The Smart Home and CZone systems enhance daily living. But I'm not adding technology for its own sake. Every choice has to serve the owner's experience.
The CLB65 SUV has no flybridge, which is unusual for a 65-footer. Why that choice?
I designed it as a family boat first. A large interior living space, protected from the elements, with a strong connection to the water through wraparound windows. The flybridge would have added weight and complexity. Without it, the boat feels more dynamic, more responsive. It's about what you gain by letting something go.
You're working with universities on AI robotics and green materials. That seems like a long-term bet for a shipyard that's been around for 156 years. What are you actually trying to solve?
We're trying to solve precision and efficiency in production, and we're trying to understand what materials will define the next era of shipbuilding. Robots designed for massive steel ships don't work for us. We need solutions built for medium and small yards. And on materials—we're exploring aluminum, steel, and composites. The future probably isn't one material. It's knowing when to use each one.
What do you want people to understand about Cheoy Lee that they might not see in the new yachts?
That we're not abandoning what made us. The sailboats we built in the 1950s and 1960s are still running. That's not nostalgia—that's proof of a philosophy. Every detail matters. Every choice compounds over time. The new yachts, the research partnerships, the aluminum shed—it's all an extension of that same commitment. We're just applying it to a different future.