The 22nd edition of Benetti Yachtmaster marked a welcome return to in-person events in a three-day extravaganza of talks, panel discussions and team-building activities on the canals of Venice.
Held on the concluding days of the Carnevale di Venezia, the event saw more than 200 captains, crew and other industry professionals, reunite on the banks of Giudecca Island. For many, it was the first in-person event since the start of the pandemic.
This year’s theme, ‘Yachting Different’, saw leading figures from the yachting industry and beyond present the latest developments in alternative fuels, technology and engineering, alongside discussions on the expanding potential of refit, crew retention and what owners want from their vessels.
Unsurprisingly, sustainability was a recurring theme over the course of the three-day event. Benetti chief commercial officer Sebastiano Fanizza spoke on the shipyard’s vision to bring hybrid propulsion to the entire fleet by taking what had been achieved on board the 107 metre Luminosity – the largest diesel-electric superyacht on the water – and scaling it down.
Vice president of Azimut-Benetti Group Giovanna Vitelli approached the topic of alternative fuels with caution and said that the shipyard would keep its "feet on the ground". Vitelli stressed the importance of being realistic in what can be achieved for owners today and that future fuels such as methanol will not be feasible for propulsion for at least 10 years.
Instead, the shipyard will continue to focus its efforts to provide the best hybrid-electric solutions across the Benetti range as well as working to improve consumption. Fanizza took the opportunity to remind the room that sustainable engineering goes far beyond the four walls of the engine room and that shipyards should be going that step further, looking at ways to recycle heat from the generators, maximise the use of sustainably sourced materials, and thinking smarter when it comes to energy consumption on board.
Vitelli also unveiled a project in collaboration with RINA to assess the energy produced over the lifecycle of a yacht as a way to index Benetti yachts against other competitors.
Another area of focus for the Azimut-Benetti Group is its refit and repair offering at Lusben. Business development manager Michael Amato explained that with shipyards oversubscribed, owners are facing longer wait times for semi-custom yachts and are more inclined to look at alternatives, using the recently refitted 51 metre Masquenada as an example of what can be achieved in just eight months.
Benetti secures €1.1B in sales in 2021
Chief commercial officer Sebastiano Fanizza opened the 22nd edition of Benetti Yachtmaster with an impressive financial report from the last 12 months. In 2021, Benetti secured €1.1 billion in sales which equates to 26,207 gross tonnes and 2,005 metres of new orders.
Other popular topics of discussion raised during the conference included the lack of infrastructure for superyachts in Asia as well as conversations on how to keep junior crew for longer. Lastly, the Benetti Yachtmaster presented an opportunity for technology companies such as Kongsberg, B.Finder and YachtEye to showcase the latest developments in integrated technology systems from motion prediction to smart maintenance, infotainment and other AI systems.
The weekend concluded with a dragon boat race down the narrow Venetian canals followed by a grand Gala Dinner held at the Casinò di Venezia, offering a taste of the carnival spirit.