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DURING THE SATEC CONVENTION FOR COMPANIES REPREESNTING THE ENTIRE YACHTING SUPPLY CHAIN, CONFINDUSTRIA NAUTICA LAUNCHES ITS PROPOSALS FOR THE BLUE ECONOMY
ENHANCING ITALIAN COMPETITIVENESS, REDUCING SEASONALITY OF TOURISM, THE GREEN TRANSITION AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING WERE ALL COMMON FACTORS FOR CONFITARMA AND FINCANTIERI
THE TOURISM AND MARINA REFORM BILL WAS ALSO DISCUSSED.
This morning in Florence, at the prestigious Palazzo Pucci, the conference “Nautica, Rinascimento italiano” (“Yachting, an Italian Renaissance”), organised by the Italian Marine Industry Association Confindustria Nautica, was held within the larger framework of the annual convention dedicated to companies operating across the yachting sector. Speakers included Daniela Garnero Santanchè, Italian Minister for Tourism, Edoardo Rixi, Italian Deputy Minister for Infrastructures and Transport, Mario Zanetti, President of the Italian Confederation of Shipowners Confitarma and Confederation of Italian Industry President’s Delegate for the Marine Economy, Gerolamo Cangiano, from the Transport Commission and Culture Commission of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Patrizia Scarchilli, Director General of the Italian Ministry for Infrastructure and Transport, Pierpaolo Ribuffo, Coordinator of the Mission Structure of the Italian Minister for Maritime Policy, Luciano Sale, Director of Human Resources at Fincantieri, Ernesto Lanzillo, Partner of Deloitte and Deloitte Private Leader of Italy, and Nicola Porcari, Head of Structured Finance at BPER Banca.
The Italian Marine Industry Association has chosen the City of Art, the architecture, forms, and paintings of which are echoed in the distinctive and iconic elements of yachting design thanks to the mix of taste, know-how, and craftsmanship that draws directly from Renaissance art.
Looking to the future, the competitiveness of the Italian flag, the reduction of seasonality with regards to tourism flows, the green transition, and professional training emerged as common focal points within the Italian Marine Industry Association’s framework of proposals that resonated with the representatives of Confitarma and Fincantieri, who also highlighted:
- simplifying the issue of the provisional navigation licences
- updating leasing and chartering contracts
- defining how to regulate the use of new fuels
- slipways in public ports
- the application of Presidential Decree n. 509 for procedures regarding the issue and renewal of boating concessions.
Saverio Cecchi, President of the Italian Marine Industry Association, at the opening of the conference thanked all the Government members, ministers, and institutions present for finally listening and supporting the sector. Saverio Cecchi spoke of his great confidence in the work carried out by the interministerial marine policies committee CIPOM, which, without shifting the competences of the Ministries, aims to integrate and coordinate them.
Daniela Garnero Santanchè: “Nautical tourism is a fundamental pillar of our tourism as a whole, which is worth around 28 billion euros, because it increases its value, and the yachting sector is an extraordinary ambassador for Italy around the world. We must support social yachting because it is an equally important sector. Superyachts drive this sector, but we have to take care of the smaller, popular boating sector, which has to be helped in its development because to support this segment means to support a source of important benefits for the local territory. We are working with incoming projects and to have Wi-Fi in marinas. This government, we all, strongly believe in the value of this sector, we are not a government that punishes value, something you have suffered for in the past, but one that promotes it.”
Edoardo Rixi: “Palazzo Chigi has dismissed the text of the implementing regulation for yachting. In the coming weeks we will have the opinion of the Court of Auditors. The boating sector has had an unprecedented acceleration and consequently the public machine must also speed up in its approvals”. He concluded: “Being the country that produces the greatest number of maxi yachts in the world is a great asset for the country not only on an economic level, but also on a cultural one. We must invest in this sector that represents such excellence, by also supporting its main showcase, the Genoa International Boat Show. The reform of professional titles, which has just been approved, is also intended to give a sign of dynamic action for future generations, giving new prospects to the many seaside towns to turn their passion for the sea into career opportunities.”
Mario Zanetti: “The Blue Economy is a focal point of the Italian economy, with a value of 136 billion euros. Italy is the world’s leading country in terms of the ratio between kilometres of coastline and territory: every square kilometre lies on the coast, the entire Italian territory is linked to the sea much more than other European countries. The yachting industry makes an important contribution to the Blue Economy, with a value of 4 billion euros in exports and the absolute majority of the sector’s market share worldwide. This means added value for the country as a system.”
One of Confitarma’s regulatory proposals for the Sea Cluster, as shared by the Italian Marine Industry Association, is that relating to the reduction of the seasonality of tourism flows. In the Confederation of Italian Industries we are working on several fronts, particularly on ports and infrastructures, simplification, fleet investment support, and the green transition. The acceleration demanded by the market requires close teamwork between the public and private sectors.”
Cangiano: “I have just filed a proposal for a law to revitalise marinas. Every 3.8 berths generate 1 person employed in the tourist industry and the amount spent in the port’s local area by the boat owner is double that of a hotel tourist. It is necessary to cover the investment gap in marinas compared to international competition. Thanks to the synergy we have established with the Italian Marine Industry Association, we have proposed that such marinas be excluded from the Bolkestein framework. In addition, in the bill we have requested that small boat slips be introduced into public ports.”
Pierpaolo Ribuffo commented on the proposals put forward by the Italian Marine Industry Association, which, with through its representative Roberto Neglia, the Association’s Head of Institutional Relations, is a member of the Committee of 10 Experts of the CIPOM (Interministerial Committee for Marine Policies). “We fully intend to take on board the proposals illustrated by the Italian Marine Industry Association. We are counting on a group of 10 experts, including a representative from the yachting industry, and we are working together with other administrations, particularly on simplification, to bring measures into line with European regulations and facilitate the competitiveness of the sector. I assure you that we intend to give concrete answers in a timely manner.”
Patrizia Scarchilli: “I am more and more convinced that it is necessary to provide a strong impetus to administrations when it comes to making sure they solve the present critical issues and speed up the approval of regulations to support this sector. This is something to which we are strongly committed.”
Luciano Sale spoke on the issue concerning the gap between demand and supply of skilled labour across the sector, a matter that is common to the shipbuilding industry, while presenting Fincantieri’s project to “invest primarily in education and training, while adopting artificial intelligence to automate dangerous and repetitive tasks to improve safety, quality and productivity. We have also set up entry routes for non-EEA workers to work with ancillary companies. Current legal instruments allow for the expansion of opportunities for access to employment, offering the possibility of hiring foreign nationals, ensuring their integration and training.”
Ernesto Lanzillo: “In the area of small and medium-sized businesses, the training of an entrepreneur and manager figure is crucial when facing all the major challenges of today’s world. This is something that one must be aware of in order to understand how to finance one’s own endeavours, even in smaller companies with more limited career opportunities. Industry associations should have their own dedicated academies, so that all entrepreneurs, regardless of company size, may compare notes and influence one another, sharing in key issues, fears and challenges.”
Nicola Porcari: “Companies need to be supported through a structured approach by understanding the needs of the sector and supporting such companies in their specific situations. Within the BPER department we have a Desk focused on the blue economy. In particular, we offer support to SMEs for who wish to take part in boat shows, stock financing, and ESG compliance. Together with the Italian Marine Industry Association we are pursuing a supply chain approach to facilitate access to credit.”
Florence, 28th June 2024
