61st Genoa International Boat Show - Day 4: Sunday completely sold-out with events and panels

61st Genoa International Boat Show day 4 © Confindustria Nautica

Sunny weather greeted visitors today at the 61st Genoa International Boat Show, adding to a weekend of excellent weather, packed with events and completely sold-out, just like the day before, with audiences from all over the world coming to experience sailing celebrities, special events and fascinating panels.

Day 4 of the Boat Show also saw a state visit from the Italian Minister for Tourism Massimo Garavaglia, who met with press in the Blue Pavilion: "This year promises to be a positive one, we need to invest in such a strategic sector for the country. We aim to support the boating industry as a whole. For example, we are currently preparing as Ministry of Tourism to help the renewal of hospitality and accommodation facilities. We want to include marinas in these initiatives because they are a crucial part of the hospitality system here in Italy ".

The Italian marine industry association presents their patronage initiatives in local territories

The Italian Marine Industry Association - Confindustria Nautica - brought together a patronage network in the Press Room today with the aim of promoting and supporting initiatives to enhance the boating supply chain across various Italian regions.

The event was attended by representatives of territorial initiatives recognized and promoted by Confindustria Nautica as a truly value-adding initiative for the sector, in all its segments: Marina di Verbella - the Lake Maggiore Boat Show, Marina D'Arechi - the Salerno Boat Show, Seacily - the Palermo Boat Show and the Puglia Boat Show.

Representing the trade association at the meeting was the Vice-president of Confindustria Nautica Piero Formenti and Councillors Gaetano Fortunato, advisor for the development of boating in Southern Italy, and Giulio Grimaldi, delegate for association development in the Campania Region.

Piero Formenti: "We recognize ourselves in four Italian Boat Shows that have our patronage from a territorial supply chain point of view. One of the first objectives was to coordinate the dates of the sector exhibitions in Italy. We are ready to support other initiatives in the name of synergy at a regional level. After what happened in 2020 - the Genoa Boat Show being the only Exhibition held in Europe - and the extraordinary commercial success of this year, in two years' time Genoa will have a unique showcase in the world with the completion of the works for the Waterfront designed by Renzo Piano."

Agostino Gallozzi, President of Marina d'Arechi - Salerno Boat Show: "I really appreciate that the Italian Marine Industry Association embraces different experiences, such as our Salone, now about to celebrate its fifth edition, from 2nd to 10th October. We have 150 boats at sea, 100 exhibitors and an average of 15,000 visitors over the weekend who want to show their passion for the sea. A Made in Italy boat exhibited in Italian waters is an important added value that deserves protecting. "

Marco Diana - CEO of Marina di Verbella, Lake Maggiore Boat Show: "The Lake Maggiore Boat Show will be held in May next year. We have been organizing it since 2018, visitors look to be over 4 thousand and once again entrance will be free of charge. We offer ample space (12,000 sqm) and great visibility to all exhibitors. There will also be rental services and nautical license schools. "

Andrea Ciulla, President of Assonautica Palermo - Seacily, Palermo Boat Show: "The Genoa Boat Show is a fundamental event for our entire sector. Those who come to SEACILY, which is an important market, will find, in addition to the sea, rich nautical tourism, a unique environment, and beauty. We are at our fourth edition, scheduled to be held from 4th to 7th November and we will be showcasing over 100 brands from the Italian shipbuilding industry."

Giuseppe Meo, President of the Puglia Boat Show: "We have reached the 17th edition (13th - 17th October) in a Region that has experienced a tourist boom with record numbers. Above all, we support the dealers of the industry, we host 200 boats on land and water and we have an extensive programme of conferences and events. Next year the Puglia Region will be present at the Genoa Boat Show."

Millevele

The award ceremony for the 33rd edition of the Millevele regatta organized by the Italian Yacht Club in Genoa took place this morning on the Terrace of the Blue Pavilion of the Genoa International Boat Show. Over 200 crews took part in the award ceremony of the regatta which saw the victory of SISI - The Austrian Ocean Race Project followed by Itacentodue and Kauris II in second and third place.

A complete success, stated Gerolamo Bianchi, President of the Italian Yacht Club, while Saverio Cecchi, President of the Italian Marine Industry Association, declared: "I am more excited than I was at the inauguration" stressing that he is certainly not the "master of the house" because when we talk about boats and sailing "the Boat Show is really everyone's home".

The award ceremony for the sailing event opened with the Councillor of the Liguria Region, Ilaria Cavo, handing the Special Prize to the Slam Leon Pancaldo boat, which sailed across the finish line sporting the colours of the non-profit organization Il Barattolo, committed to supporting people with mental disabilities, featuring onboard Enrico Chieffi, CEO of Slam and Mauro Pelaschier. The award for Slam Leon Pancaldo was also an opportunity to remember another social initiative that sees the Italian Marine Industry Association and the Genoa International Boat Show engaged in fundraising in favour of the Gaslini Pediatric Hospital in Genoa (those interested may contribute through the official website www.salonenautico.com).

The next special award to be handed out was the first edition of the Confindustria Nautica Award, reserved for the shipyard and the boat belonging to a shipyard on display at the 61st Genoa International Boat Show which achieved the best placement in each group. In addition to Saverio Cecchi, the General Director and the Councillor of the Italian Marine Industry Association, Marina Stella and Fabio Planamente, awarded the special award to Italia Yachts with Low Noise, Nautor Swan with Tengher and Cantiere del Pardo with Indomitable Thought.

Sustainability and training at Breitling theater

Today's programme at the Breitling Theatre was also packed with events, opening with an event organized by Yamaha Italia, entitled " The mark of sustainability. The Talk ". A panel that tackled the issue of sustainability starting from the sea and addressing the issue from a wide range of angles, involving various personalities linked to entrepreneurship and actively engaged, with their own companies, in the protection of the planet.

Plastic, combustion, recycling, tire disposal, green energy: so many topics were discussed, with great interest on behalf of professionals and the larger audience who flocked to the Breitling Theatre stage to listen. During the event, introduced by Andrea Colombi, Yamaha Motor Europe's Country Manager for Italy, and at which Alessandro Campagna, Sales Manager of I Saloni Nautici was present, the trip of Simone Zignoli was described to visitors, an adventure rider and ambassador who tackled the circumnavigation of Sardinia alone on a WaveRunner jet ski, with a key focus on environmental issues.

In the afternoon the meeting "Medical rescue at sea: the commitment of CISOM on the Mediterranean" was held, organized by the Italian Rescue Corps of the Order of Malta. CISOM is also present at the Boat Show with its own stand, its volunteers and a suggestive installation consisting of a parallelepiped filled with more than one hundred orange life jackets, symbolizing the many lives saved by the Order of Malta's Italian Relief Corps, which was also recalled during the same conference.

Following this was the conference "Working in the boating sector: learning opportunities", held by the Italian Marine Industry Association, the Marine Centre - University of Genoa and RINA Services. A conference in which the value of employment in the nautical sector emerged as an issue clearly worth discussing, highlighted by data from the Marine Centre - University of Genoa, which brings together the disciplines that find their field of investigation in the sea, forming highly specialized and multidisciplinary skills.

After the presentation of the PhD in Marine Science and Technology, also presented by the Marine Centre, the afternoon ended with the event "Blue Value, investing and growing on the sea: companies, institutions and finance compared", organized by Banca CARIGE: an interesting comparison in which the importance of the nautical sector for the Italian economy emerged as a clear topic for discussion, and saw the presence, alongside the top management of Banca CARIGE, of the Local Council Member for Budget and Public Works in the Municipality of Genoa Pietro Piciocchi.