Youlife Group Inc. Announces A Strategic Partnership With Sealand Maritime Service Co., Ltd. to Build a New Talent Ecosystem for High-end Cruise Tourism Services

Rhea-AI Summary

Youlife Group (NASDAQ: YOUL) announced a joint venture with Sealand Maritime Service to form Xiamen Youlife Sealand International Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd. on Jan 9, 2026. The venture will build an integrated talent development and placement platform for the global cruise and cultural tourism industries, aligning vocational training, certification, and international employment resources. Planned initiatives include an International Cruise and Cultural Tourism Industry Institute, targeted overseas talent pipelines using Youlife's nationwide vocational network, and data-driven platforms to connect Chinese talent with global cruise operators.

Positive

• Established joint venture for cruise talent: Xiamen Youlife Sealand JV
• Planned International Cruise and Cultural Tourism Industry Institute
• Targeted overseas talent pipelines leveraging Youlife's vocational network
• Sealand partnerships with >10 global cruise operators including Disney and Royal Caribbean

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction

+2.14%

1 alert

+2.14% News Effect

On the day this news was published, YOUL gained 2.14%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Sealand founding year: 2001 Cruise operator partners: more than ten operators China cruise restart: September 2023

3 metrics

Sealand founding year 2001 Year Sealand was founded

Cruise operator partners more than ten operators Sealand’s global cruise operator relationships

China cruise restart September 2023 Resumption of international cruise operations in China

Market Reality Check

Price: $1.17 Vol: Volume 115,270 is below t...

normal vol

$1.17 Last Close

Volume Volume 115,270 is below the 20-day average of 146,300 (relative volume 0.79x). normal

Technical Price at 1.40 is trading below the 200-day MA of 1.88 and near the 52-week low of 1.30.

Peers on Argus

YOUL fell 3.45% while peers were mixed: STG up 5.57%, SKIL up 9.74%, IH down 2.9...

YOUL fell 3.45% while peers were mixed: STG up 5.57%, SKIL up 9.74%, IH down 2.99%, VSA down 0.43%, LGCY down 1.81%, pointing to stock-specific trading.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Dec 12 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 12	Expansion LOI	Positive	-12.3%	Non-binding LOI to acquire four regional HR service companies in China.
Dec 01	Mgmt/board changes	Neutral	+0.6%	Board refresh and new acting CFO and independent director appointments.
Sep 10	Investor event	Neutral	-24.2%	Announcement of a virtual investor event outlining developments and growth plans.
Sep 09	Earnings update	Positive	+24.4%	Strong H1 2025 results with higher revenue, margins, and profitability.
Aug 29	JV partnership	Positive	+0.0%	Strategic JV with Galbot to advance robotics-focused vocational education.

Pattern Detected

Positive strategic and partnership news has sometimes seen negative or muted next-day reactions, while strong earnings drew a clear positive move.

Recent Company History

Over the last six months, Youlife reported strong H1 2025 financials with revenue and profitability growth and announced a joint venture with Galbot focused on intelligent vocational education. It later scheduled a virtual investor event and made board and management changes, followed by a non-binding LOI to acquire four HR service companies to expand in China’s blue-collar market. The new Sealand partnership continues the use of joint ventures to build specialized talent ecosystems, this time targeting cruise and cultural tourism services.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement details a new joint venture with Sealand to build an integrated talent platform fo...

Analysis

This announcement details a new joint venture with Sealand to build an integrated talent platform for global cruise and cultural tourism services. It follows earlier partnership and expansion steps, including the Galbot JV and a non-binding LOI for HR acquisitions. Investors may track how this cruise-focused initiative contributes to placement volumes, utilization of Youlife’s vocational network, and the balance between traditional blue-collar placements and specialized service segments over time.

Key Terms

joint venture, vocational education, seafarer dispatch qualifications, data-driven platforms, +1 more

5 terms

joint venture financial

"today announced that it has entered into a joint venture agreement with Sealand"

A joint venture is when two or more companies team up to work on a specific project or business idea, sharing both the risks and the rewards. It’s like friends starting a lemonade stand together—each contributes resources and they split the profits, making it easier to succeed than going alone.

vocational education technical

"blue-collar vocational development and workforce solutions in China"

Vocational education trains people in practical skills for specific trades or jobs—such as electricians, chefs, healthcare technicians, or software developers—through hands‑on courses, apprenticeships, or short certificate programs rather than broad academic degrees. For investors, it matters because strong vocational systems act like steady supply chains for skilled workers: they can reduce hiring costs, shorten time to productivity, and support growth in industries that rely on specialized labor, affecting company performance and labor-market risk.

seafarer dispatch qualifications regulatory

"it holds official seafarer dispatch qualifications issued by the China Maritime Safety"

A set of certificates, health checks, training records and legal documents a sailor must hold before being assigned to work on a ship. These qualifications prove a seafarer is trained, medically fit and legally allowed to join a vessel, similar to how a driver needs a license, insurance and a medical check to work for a transport company. Investors care because gaps or delays in these qualifications can raise staffing costs, cause voyage delays, increase insurance and compliance risk, and affect a shipping operator’s reliability and reputation.

data-driven platforms technical

"Implementing data-driven platforms and standardized service systems to connect"

Software systems that gather large amounts of information, organize and analyze it, then deliver insights or actions—like a smart engine turning raw data into useful signals for users and customers. Investors care because these platforms can scale revenue faster, improve decision speed and personalization, and create barriers for competitors, but their value depends on data quality, privacy safeguards and the ability to keep users engaged.

standardized certification programs technical

"to deliver industry-oriented training and standardized certification programs"

Standardized certification programs are formal, widely accepted processes that evaluate and verify a product, service, process, or organization against a fixed set of criteria, like a safety or quality checklist. Investors care because certifications act like a public seal of approval — they reduce uncertainty, make performance easier to compare across companies, and can affect costs, market access, legal risk and customer trust, all of which influence a company’s value.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

BEIJING, Jan. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Youlife Group Inc. ("Youlife" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: YOUL), a leading blue-collar lifetime service provider in China, today announced that it has entered into a joint venture agreement with Sealand Maritime Service Co., Ltd. ("Sealand"), a leading cruise crew recruitment and dispatch company in China. The two parties have jointly established Xiamen Youlife Sealand International Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd., a joint venture dedicated to building an integrated talent development and placement platform for the global cruise and cultural tourism industries. The platform aims to align vocational training, certification, and international employment resources to meet the rapidly expanding demand for cruise service professionals.

A Powerful Alliance to Build a Closed-Loop Cruise Talent Ecosystem

Youlife, a leading provider of blue-collar vocational development and workforce solutions in China, has built nearly two decades of expertise across vocational education and human resources services. The Company has established an end-to-end talent ecosystem that integrates vocational training, talent recruitment, employee management, and market services. The collaboration with Sealand represents a significant step forward in Youlife's strategy to deepen its presence in specialized service sectors and to expand its global talent supply chain. Together, the partners aim to create a comprehensive, closed-loop model for talent development in the cruise and cultural tourism industries, spanning training, certification, international placement, and long-term service support.

Founded in 2001, Sealand is a recognized leader in China's cruise crew recruitment and dispatch industry, and it holds official seafarer dispatch qualifications issued by the China Maritime Safety Administration, as well as relevant licenses from the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Over the years, Sealand has focused exclusively on the recruitment, training, and deployment of cruise ship crew members and now serves as an official agent or core strategic partner for more than ten globally renowned cruise operators—including Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line (its exclusive agent in China), MSC Cruises, and Astro Ocean Cruises. This longstanding track record positions Sealand as one of the most influential players in China's cruise talent export market.

Global Cruise Market Recovery Drives Structural Demand for Skilled Talent

In China, international cruise operations resumed in September 2023, with major routes such as Shanghai and Shenzhen returning to regular schedules. Global operators have re-entered the market, and domestically built large cruise ships have commenced commercial operations, accelerating industry localization and intensifying the need for highly trained cruise service talent. Against this backdrop, the formation of the joint venture demonstrates Youlife's disciplined and forward-looking strategy to strengthen talent supply and support long-term industry development.

Institutional Collaboration to Support Global Cruise Talent Pipelines

The partnership is anchored in a long-term strategic framework, with the joint venture serving as a platform for sustained, multi-level cooperation. Planned initiatives include:

• Establishing an International Cruise and Cultural Tourism Industry Institute to deliver industry-oriented training and standardized certification programs.
• Developing targeted talent pipelines for overseas employment, leveraging Youlife's nationwide vocational education network and Sealand's extensive partnership with global cruise operators.
• Implementing data-driven platforms and standardized service systems to connect cruise companies with qualified Chinese talent through efficient and reliable international employment pathways.

Beyond operational cooperation, the partnership represents a deeper integration of vocational education and maritime service expertise. The parties aim to continuously supply high-quality, globally competitive talent to the cruise and broader cultural tourism sectors, fostering the development of a sustainable and scalable talent ecosystem.

About Youlife Group Inc.

Youlife is a leading blue-collar lifetime service provider with a nationwide network of 25 vocational schools under school management model and 25 curriculum development projects, covering a total of 37 cities or counties under 16 provinces of China. Learn more at https://ir.youlife.cn/.

About Sealand Maritime Service Co., Ltd.

Sealand is a leading cruise crew recruitment and dispatch company founded in 2001 in China, and it holds seafarer dispatch qualifications issued by the China Maritime Safety Administration, along with relevant approvals from the Ministry of Commerce and human resources authorities. Sealand maintains long-term partnerships with more than ten global cruise operators, including Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line (exclusive China agent), MSC Cruises, and StarCruises, and is a leading provider of cruise crew placement services in China.

Contact 
Zhuhong Ruan
youlife.ir@youlanw.com 
(86) 13917429808

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/youlife-group-inc-announces-a-strategic-partnership-with-sealand-maritime-service-co-ltd-to-build-a-new-talent-ecosystem-for-high-end-cruise-tourism-services-302657228.html

SOURCE Youlife Group Inc

FAQ

What did Youlife (YOUL) announce on January 9, 2026?

Youlife announced a joint venture with Sealand to form Xiamen Youlife Sealand International Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd.

What is the purpose of the Youlife and Sealand joint venture (YOUL)?

To build an integrated talent development and placement platform for the global cruise and cultural tourism industries, covering training, certification, and international employment.

Will the joint venture create training or certification programs for cruise jobs?

Yes. The partners plan to establish an International Cruise and Cultural Tourism Industry Institute to deliver training and standardized certification programs.

How will Youlife (YOUL) and Sealand connect candidates with cruise operators?

They will develop targeted overseas talent pipelines and data-driven platforms to link qualified Chinese talent with global cruise companies.

Which cruise operators does Sealand work with that support the JV's reach?

Sealand is an agent or core partner for more than ten global cruise operators, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Disney Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises.