Spice – There are 5,787 super yachts over 30 meters sailing in the world today (4,911 motor and 876 sailing), in 2023 156 were sold in Italy, a growing number compared to 142 in 2022, confirming our country’s world leadership. In 2024, the order book for new pleasure vessels has risen to 695 newbuildings and Italy, with 377 orders, is by far the leading manufacturer in the world, followed at a distance by Turkey with 116 yachts to be built. Of note, the backlog of orders acquired during the Covid pandemic is running out, meaning that, for the first time since 2020, the number of completed yachts and the number of new orders obtained have aligned just above 200 units.
These data on the state of the art of the pleasure craft market, provided by SuperYachtTimes, have once again highlighted Italy’s leadership in the sector but served as the backdrop to the comparison staged at the Blue Design Summit underway in La Spezia among some of the major Italian designers active in pleasure boating. The event was promoted by the Municipality of Spezia, “Miglio Blu – La Spezia Nautical District”, the Port System Authority of the Eastern Ligurian Sea and Confindustria La Spezia.
Promostudi, the foundation led by Ugo Salerno and participated by public institutions and private companies which offers focused study courses, from yacht design to naval design up to mechatronics, is among the partners of this event. “Before 2008, many construction sites began in a disorganized and approximate manner. After the 2008 crisis the market understood that to grow and be sustainable it was necessary to become an industry, today Italian boating is an efficient industry and knows how to produce beauty” Salerno underlined in his introduction. Who added with satisfaction: “At Blue Design Sumi we have the best Italian, and therefore global, nautical architects”. Among those present were Alfonso Femia, Francesca Muzio, Luca Dini, Sergio Cutolo, Francesco Paszkowski, Leonardo Cecchi, Antonio Luxardo and Daniele Mazzon.
Among the current issues that emerged, Luca Dini’s request to create an “Italian system” that can promote itself in a coordinated and convincing way abroad stood out. Speaking about the project for a new island being built in Saudi Arabia, “Neom Sindalah Island”, the expert designer noted that in the past there was “no interest from Italy, no delegation was present” to promote Made in Italy.
Roberto Perocchio, president of Assomarinas, highlighted how in recent months we are witnessing a progressive “entry of foreign chains into Italian marinas”, mentioning D-Marin and Igy. “All tourist ports – he added – are trying to reshape the offer in order to accommodate the growing demand for super yachts. Porto Lotti in Spezia was the first to sense the trend and turn to the large pleasure vessel market. Receiving super yachts means having a helipad for helicopters, as well as gyms and facilities for welcoming crews. We must not only serve the owner but also and above all the crew.” The president of Assomarinas, regarding the services necessary to attract large pleasure ships, reported the case of Naples where yachting “is in crisis because Capodichino airport has reduced the slots for private planes in favor of Salerno” . According to Perocchio, the challenge of tourist ports today lies in Cipom and the reef issues will have to be addressed through the Sea Plan, looking primarily at seabed dredging and bureaucratic simplification.
A heartfelt appeal was also launched by Gino Battaglia, president of Italian Yacht Masters, who highlighted the issue of employment and related activities: “Out of 12 thousand boats and motor yachts, only 3% have an Italian crew; Italian shipping must give space to Italian commanders and crews. Not only commanders but also chefs, interiors, etc. With Italian commanders on board, the Italian nautical industry and beyond will benefit” were his words.
An appeal to create a system and overcome contrasts and overlaps also came from Pietro Angelini, director of Navigo, who said: “Of the 377 new boats under construction in Italy, 80% are built between Spezia and Livorno. The ‘blue mile’ is therefore a little wider than a mile. The suppliers are almost all active with the same shipyards and the Isyl foundation in Viareggio has existed since 2015″. Precisely in relation to the training of young people, Angelini underlined how “important it is to give an integrated meaning to the offer” and for this reason he also launched an appeal: “In the ITS we don’t compete with each other, we integrate the territories, we don’t create any overlap. We must also be complementary between universities, Its, schools, etc.”. Which evidently doesn’t always happen today.
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