As one of the oldest shipyards in the world, Benetti describes itself as The House of Yachting to encapsulate its 150 years of history, experience, tradition, and knowledge. Benetti’s legacy includes some of the world’s most recognisable yachts, including Spectre, Freedom (ex: Reverie) and Soundwave (ex: 11.11), that have been created by leading designers, such as Giorgio Cassetta and Stefano Natucci.
“The House of Yachting should not be understood as a proper brand per sé,” says Marco Valle, the Azimut | Benetti Group’s CEO. “It is a way of describing the shipyard which contains a promise to its clients and partners. Benetti has such a presence in the yachting industry because it is The House of Yachting, and that is what has allowed the shipyard to develop such a unique and valuable offering.”
Founded in 1873
Benetti’s impact on the superyacht sector is monumental, with 362 yachts measuring over 24 metres delivered to date according to BOATPro. One yacht that proved to be a huge turning point for the brand was the 86-metre Nabila. The largest and most extravagant superyacht on the water when she was launched in 1980 she set new standards in the sector. The build ultimately led to financial trouble for the build, but this then opened the door for Paolo Vitelli to purchase the brand.
Now more than 40 years later, this milestone has been followed by a myriad of modern-day successes, which have all contributed to Azimut | Benetti Group’s status as the world’s most extensive yacht and megayacht network.
loading...In 2016, Benetti took a bold initiative to create a building hub dedicated to the construction of yachts over 80 meters. From this shed came the likes of the 107-metre Luminosity, 107-metre Lana and 108-metre IJE – the trio of yachts delivered in 100 days in 2020 that broke Benetti’s 100-metre barrier and set a new record for the industry.
More recently, the Benetti B.Yond 37M established itself as the greenest model in its class. The technologically forward and revolutionary semi-custom design features four decks and a steel hull powered by a hybrid system.
Not just a builder
While expanding its portfolio, Benetti accrued the knowledge and ability to meet increasingly innovative and demanding orders. Time and time again, the yard delivers on its highly-engineered naval platform with beautiful finishes, future-proof decor and technology – all of which benefits from Benetti’s rich history, experience and heritage.
“Benetti is not just tradition, it is also continuous innovation, a constant effort to put its deep knowledge at play to anticipate the desires of its owners and the latest trends on the market,” explains Valle. “The House of Yachting’s purpose is to set Benetti’s all-encompassing standard as a benchmark in the global luxury yachting scene.”
Another contributor to The House of Yachting’s high standards is the yard’s cooperation with brilliant architects and designers. Since the 1980s, Benetti saw a rising evolution in size and complexity of the yachts, which demanded input and expertise from the likes of Sinot Yacht Design, Bannenberg & Rowell Design, RWD, Cor D. Rover, Bonetti/Kozersky and Studio Lazzarini Pickering. As a result, Benetti was able to become one of the most versatile and innovative builders that delivered on design and functionality in a uniquely recognisable style.
Benetti’s Order Book
Today, Benetti reports a full order book until 2027, filled with a variety of custom builds and yachts from its five-category fleet: Class, B.Yond, Oasis and B.NOW. With 58 upcoming superyacht deliveries recorded on BOATPro, Benetti’s two sites in Viareggio and Livorno are working non-stop.
“There are more than 200 suppliers in our supply chain, and we have developed a relationship of value and trust with each one of them,” explains Valle. “We involve our partners in all of our future projects so that we can keep growing together.”
A superyacht ordered with Benetti can take up to five years to be completed. For Benetti owners, the wait is nothing short of worthwhile. “Our owners are lovers of beauty, deep connoisseurs of aesthetics and art, with very clear ideas about the design and technologies they want on board and are therefore willing to wait longer to have their Benetti yacht,” explains Valle.
“They identify with our values and know that we can guarantee them very high-quality standards. They know that Benetti is able to respond to any of their wishes because we guarantee thorough control over every phase of the project – from design to the realisation of every smallest detail – following them step by step at every stage, including after sales.”
Nautical success
The Azimut | Benetti Group is the world’s largest superyacht builder by total length of yachts under construction in BOAT International’s Global Order Book, and has been since 1999. The secret to this success? “We do really believe that one of the reasons for our success as The House of Yachting lies in our origins,” says Valle. “Benetti has its roots in Tuscany, in what is still today one of the main hubs of the yachting industry, while at the same time being the cradle of art.”
“Being this close to cities such as Florence, Pisa, and Siena, just to mention a few, has certainly influenced the development of this concept of elegant beauty that we want to embody in our yachts and that our owners have come to appreciate and recognise,” he adds.
To find out more about The House of Yachting and Benetti’s future builds, contact the yard directly here.
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