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YACHTING UNDER THE GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT: THE 64th GENOA INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW HAS OFFICIALLY KICKED OFF, INAUGURATED IN THE PRESENCE OF SENATE PRESIDENT IGNAZIO LA RUSSA ALONGSIDE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND TRANSPORT MINISTER MATTEO SALVINI
STRATEGIES FOR THE INDUSTRY WERE OUTLINED DURING THE CONFERENCE ‘SEA POLICY: CHARTING NEW COURSES FOR ITALY’S COMPETITIVENESS, AN OUTLOOK FOR THE YACHTING INDUSTRY’, WHILE REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTING THE NAUTICAL CODE WERE SIGNED BY ALL MINISTERS INVOLVED
The 64th edition of the Genoa International Boat Show, organised by the Italian Marine Industry Association Confindustria Nautica, which represents the entire yachting industry supply chain, and its operational subsidiary I Saloni Nautici, has officially kicked off. The yachting sector, from large yachts to smaller boats, equipment, services, and marinas, will be back beneath the spotlight for the next six days as the Genoa Boat Show returns to its role as the global showcase for yachting.
As is tradition, this first day began with the solemn inauguration, featuring the national anthem and the flag-hoisting ceremony, followed by the opening address of the Mayor of Genoa, Marco Bucci, along with speeches by Admiral Nicola Carlone, General Commander of the Harbour Offices, Admiral Sq. Enrico Credendino, Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy, Alessandro Piana, Acting President of the Liguria Region, Matteo Zoppas, President of the Italian Trade Agency, and finally Saverio Cecchi, President of Confindustria Nautica, the Italian Marine Industry Association.
The ceremony ended with a speech by the President of the Italian Senate, Ignazio La Russa: “It is a great source of pride for me to be here, I have called Liguria my home for 60 years now so I feel I have become a small part of such an ancient history. The maritime republic of Genoa has existed since 1099. The synergy of city and sea that defines Genoa also defines its industrial and organisational success. This is where the ‘Bucci model’ was born, the ability to bring together public and private sectors to realise exemplary projects in a timely manner. The Genoa Boat Show is an event that returns year after year and its constant success represents the success of the Made in Italy brand. The Liguria Region has demonstrated its ability to make a tremendous leap forward, a feat made possible in no small part by this very Boat Show, a spectacle that attracts the world’s attention and focuses it onto Made in Italy quality and production, a gift to the whole of Italy, to its credibility on the world stage as it takes on new courses into the future. Genoa is soaring into the future with the wind at its back: may the wind and the city’s course stay true”.
Immediately after the opening ceremony came the inaugural conference “Sea Policy: Charting New Courses for Italy’s Competitiveness, An Outlook for the Yachting Industry”, organised by the Italian Marine Industry Association – Confindustria Nautica and moderated by journalist Antonio Macaluso, a columnist for Corriere della Sera. The talk was a fundamental moment of debate dedicated to outlining the sector’s future strategies. Speakers taking turns to tackle the subject matter included representatives of the Italian shipbuilding industry Andrea Razeto, CEO of F.lli Razeto e Casareto S.p.A. and President of I Saloni Nautici, Piero Formenti, CEO of Zar Formenti, Alberto Galassi, CEO of Ferretti Group, and Massimo Perotti, Chairman and CEO of Sanlorenzo Yacht.
The talk was attended by Mario Zanetti, the Confederation of Italian Industry’s Presidential Delegate for the Marine Economy, and Matteo Salvini, Deputy Prime Minister, while Adolfo Urso, Minister of Business and Made in Italy Production, contributed via a video message.
The Genoa International Boat Show then paid tribute to the Italian sports stars who shone this summer at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, represented in Genoa by sailor Marta Magetti of the Italian Guardia di Finanza and swimmer Francesco Bocciardo, respectively gold medallist in the iQFOiL sailing class and gold medallist in the 200 metres freestyle S5 category. An exciting video followed, retracing the extraordinary triumphs of Italian water sports athletes.
SPEECHES
Marco Bucci, Mayor of Genoa: “This is a moment of great pride for every single one of us, for the city of Genoa, for Liguria, and for everyone who has worked so hard to make this possible. The city of Genoa has always enjoyed a close relationship with the Genoa Boat Show. Over the past 64 years, the city, the region and the Boat Show have succeeded in developing an important dynamic for the yachting industry as a whole, a Show that continues to grow year after year. When things are done well, planned in harmony with the Public Administration, entrepreneurs, and our citizens, the only outcome can be a success. “We are Made of Sea” is more than just a motto, it is a key characteristic of those who live in Liguria and are used to living with the sea. It means we are capable of adapting, of dealing with difficult situations, knowing that easier days will come. We are second to none, and with this strength of ours we will continue to move forward alongside a sector expanding with double-figure growth. This is an important signal for the entirety of Italian industry and trade.
The union between this Boat Show and the city must and will continue along this same path: where pride, passion, and vision are the drives that have pushed us and will continue to do so into the future. The Genoa International Boat Show will continue to open its doors over the next years and Genoa will continue become a closer and to host it. And it will be the most beautiful Show in the world”.
Matteo Salvini, Deputy Prime Minister of Italy: “The numbers say that in past year Genoa and Liguria – and the Boat Show is a clear symbol of this – were in the second half of country-wide socio-economic rankings. Now they have taken up a leading role. Genoa in recent years has cried, suffered, fallen, but has always got back up. The entrepreneurs who animate this exhibition are proof of Genoa’s resurgence. Politicians are trying not to chart a course but to stay out of its way. I am thrilled to see such a recovery and I thank Edoardo Rixi, the guardian of Genoa and Liguria, for approving the implementation regulations of the Nautical Code, an initiative aimed at simplifying bureaucracy and maximising safety.
Ten years ago, we were in seventh place for exports, today we are fourth. This was not because of politicians, but thanks to entrepreneurs. Instead of regulating and overcomplicating, it is much better to leave things to the industry”.
Saverio Cecchi, President of the Italian Marine Industry Association: “The Genoa International Boat Show represents an ever-changing achievement, an achievement that this year is also an emotional one, as it is my last edition as President of the Italian Marine Industry Association. It is no news that no less than fourteen ministers have worked on the regulatory framework implementing the Nautical Code – presented by the Minister for Infrastructures and Transport Matteo Salvini, something that the three ministers who preceded him failed to do. Thanks to Minister Urso, we have fully entered the Made in Italy policies, together with Wood/Furniture, Fashion, and Agribusiness. With the same Ministry for Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy Production, and Minister Musumeci, we worked on a further package of simplification rules to be included in the DDL Blue Economy, a necessary step to better compete with our competitor countries.
This path must be strengthened, and all projects must be completed quickly, but what we can say is that we have certainly registered an overall sensitivity of the government that was not there before.
To the government, the institutions, and politicians, I would like to remind them that this sector has created a supply chain of over 200,000 jobs and needs clear and competitive rules to face international competition and develop the domestic market. Our yachting industry has almost tripled its turnover in the last eight years, reaching an all-time high of 8.33 billion euros by the end of 2023!”
Adolfo Urso, Minister for Business and Made in Italy Production (via video message): “The Italian supply chain continues to be a pillar of Made in Italy quality worldwide, thanks to a unique craftsmanship tradition and the ability to innovate with cutting-edge technologies.
At a time of great transformation, the government is committed to supporting such an excellence, accompanying the sector in a transition towards increasingly sustainable production models, without sacrificing quality and design.
I also want to emphasise that we are aware of the need for administrative simplification aimed at reducing bureaucratic burdens. My thanks to all those who contribute every day to the success of the Italian yachting industry”.
Alessandro Piana, Acting President of the Liguria Region: “It is a great honour for me to forward the greetings of the Liguria Regional Council on such an important day as the opening of the 64th edition of the Genoa International Boat Show. This event confirms itself year after year as an exceptional moment for the yachting sector, as it combines the past with the present and allows us to project ourselves into the future.
Liguria is aware of this centuries-old link it has with the sea, just as it is aware of the great importance the sector has on the territory from an economic point of view. We are in first place in terms of the economy generated by this industry. We rank first in terms of the number of people employed in the sector. This allows us to have highly specialised supply chains and to have one of the best systems, among the most efficient in the world, thanks to innovative and sustainable solutions, with an approach to workplace safety that is of fundamental importance nowadays”.
Matteo Zoppas, President of the Italian Trade Agency: “The fact that the yachting industry is the pinnacle of Made in Italy excellence, the world leader in the luxury segment, could not be clearer in these latest figures: if Italian exports were worth a total of 626 billion euros in 2023, maintaining the same levels as in 2022, exports of recreational and sport boating alone will be worth 4 billion, with a growth of 16% compared to 2022. If we compare the data with 2019, a year preceding the pandemic and the war, we can see that our exports still increased by 30.4% and the Yachting and Watersports sector grew by as much as 74%. A truly exceptional result thanks to the work of entrepreneurs who develop new products every day along with technological solutions that meet the expectations and demands of foreign customers. The challenge is to be able to innovate at a greater speed than our competitors have in copying us. The trends to focus on are those of design, sustainability, the experience of comfort and silence, and the digitisation of functions and accessories. The Italian Trade Agency maintains a close relationship with entrepreneurs who want to approach or enhance their path towards internationalisation, by also investing in trade fair platforms such as the Genoa International Boat Show, now having reached its 64th edition”.
Mario Zanetti, the Confederation of Italian Industry’s Presidential Delegate for the Marine Economy: “President Emanuele Orsini has worked to make the sea our core theme, renewing the delegation for the Marine Economy. He asked me to come here today and tell you all just how crucial that theme has become. The numbers alone support us. The Maritime Economy is worth more than 10% of GDP. We are talking about one million people in Italy working for the sea and with the sea. The sea’s importance is made up of numbers, the future, and the competitiveness of this country. We have identified three main development drivers. If we talk about the economy of the sea we cannot but talk about infrastructure, ports, port connections, fleets, about people and skills worth developing. Yesterday we set up the working group dedicated to the maritime economy, a group in which trade associations are actively involved. And the government has shown just how central the maritime economy plan truly is.
We will work actively to bring proposals, ideas and possible solutions to the table. We will focus our economic efforts on simplification and transition, a transition that is not just ecological and technological but also digital”.
Andrea Razeto, President of I Saloni Nautici: “The Boat Show, I would remind you, is the second largest Italian trade fair after Milan’s Design and Furniture Fair, the Salone del Mobile, it is also an exceptional showcase for the Made in Italy brand, a formidable tool for internationalisation, and an opportunity for dialogue with institutions and politics. These are not three separate aspects, but three elements that make the Genoa International Boat Show unique, even on the international scene.
I would like to start by thanking President La Russa, Deputy Prime Minister Salvini and Minister Urso, as well as all other authorities here with us today, for actually listening to the yachting industry. After eyewear, the yachting industry is the sector in which Italy has the largest share of the world market. It is the absolute leader in the superyacht segment – representing more than half of the global order book across the globe – and the world’s leading exporter of yachting units – it employs more than 200,000 people throughout its supply chain and has been hiring continuously since 2016. I would ask the government not to forget that it has always shown itself capable and ready to play a fundamental role in supporting Italy’s growth. The joint work we have carried out with the Italian Trade Agency to support internationalisation is of crucial importance. In fact, the effort we have put in is just as important is what we do with Simest. Helping companies to find their place on the overseas market is important. We need to maintain a constant dialogue with institutions and policymakers”.
Piero Formenti, CEO of Zar Formenti: “The yachting industry requires more attention than other industrial sectors. I offer my congratulations and thanks to Minister Salvini for having incorporated the regulation we were waiting for, after three of his predecessors had failed to do so. But the industry cannot wait four years, neither for the Code itself nor for the timing of implementing decrees, because the market’s rules are fast and ruthless: those who wait, are left behind.
Timing is of the essence when it comes to building up the resilience of such a system as it is for developing large and medium-sized enterprises. And it is for this reason that I am here to put forward a fundamental proposal for the entire maritime cluster: without making any changes to the respective competences of ministers and ministries, when necessary, joint opinions on regulatory acts should still be given, but with on a specific date and in a specific place, with all the administrations involved together as is the case with service conferences.
At a time like this, when the small boating industry has already shown signs of suffering, if this measure had already been in place, it would have been useful for reacting to the impact of the international economic situation on the domestic market. But as we said, it took four years, but it is now finally usable as of tomorrow. The issue of fixing implementation measures is crucial. With this in mind, I ask that the government and all administrations push harder so that all our companies can continue their role as a powerful engine driving job creation and GDP growth, a role we have abundantly demonstrated is ours.”
Alberto Galassi, CEO of the Ferretti Group:“It was the Monti government that made the mistake of punishing the yachting sector with a damning piece of legislation. Registered movable property moves, real estate does not. Property taxation may annoy a citizen, but registered movable property always moves. The last mistake was made by France, with a regulation dated 2021 in which it was decided that the possibility of mooring near its coasts for ships over 24 metres would be restricted. The last mistake is one that we should never repeat. None of us wants to avoid protecting our most precious asset, the sea. But we cannot allow demagogy and madness to win the day – every now and then I see awful things happening in Brussels, without looking at the domino effect of the solutions they propose, animated by good intentions that lead to devastating consequences. Sustainability must be social, economic and environmental. I do not want to see a new green deal that kills the national industry and its supply chain. Italy always wins. Alone. And it always has done with Garibaldian courage’.
Massimo Perotti, Chairman and CEO of Sanlorenzo: “The future will be more and more about climate change and sustainability. Shipping, as a whole, in the world produces 3% of atmospheric emissions: very little. And of shipping, the yachting sector produces 0.2%. If we multiply these two numbers we arrive at this figure: 0.0006%. This is what our sector emits, practically nothing. However, we still feel we have a social responsibility. The 4-5 biggest engine manufacturers are investing money and effort in building bio-fuel engines. These are crucial signals that the yachting industry must act on. My group has built the first 50-meter that uses methanol converted into hydrogen and produces 100kW of electricity for onboard services. This is just a first attempt… But there is no regulatory framework: in May we had to fill the unit’s tank, but nobody came to actually fill the tank with methanol because there are no clear regulations. We had to do it manually. So, a message to the authorities: take the initiative on this, even in Europe we need safety regulations to be able to refuel the navy, otherwise this same unit will be doomed to fail, all because customers won’t buy methanol boats if they can’t refuel them. This is a European problem, not an Italian one. Yachting needs to have a code, an answer that looks to the future and could help safeguard the sector from the risks for decarbonisation.”
Adm. Nicola Carlone, Commander General of the Harbour Offices: “It is increasingly important to talk about safety, especially in light of this past Summer’s accidents. Yachts are in every way state-of-the-art creations, but we need to focus on emergency and crew management. We have to ask ourselves, today, what we can do together“.
Adm. Sq. Enrico Credendino, Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy: “The Navy is a key component of the national maritime world, from which 10 per cent of our GDP is derived. For the past three years the seas have not been safe. In the Mediterranean there is a stable balance but there are war zones, like in the Red Sea. Words we should never use. The Navy, whose greetings I bring today, strives to protect merchant traffic transiting the Suez Canal (despite the difficulties caused by the Houthis). We are with you today and I wish all the best for the 64th edition of the Genoa International Boat Show.”
