The Confindustria Nautica members’ meeting was held in Rapallo, Liguria, which officially resolved the election of Piero Formenti as president of the national trade association for the four-year period 2025-2029 with 94.4% of consensus, equal to 15,622 votes after having collected the designation of a large and widespread majority by all nine sector assemblies in the consultation phase. “Participation”, “rules” and “unity of purpose” were the guidelines outlined by the new president in his inauguration speech aimed at overcoming any reason for belonging, at common direction, at making all members responsible for spreading Confindustria culture in the territories. Formenti said “Let the first ever president expressed by the small nautical industry sector tell you: we must overcome any reason for belonging and first of all affirm the element of great strength, visibility and ability to attract to the benefit of the entire supply chain by the Large nautical industry, which has a particular ethical responsibility and promotion of business culture. Large industry that I call for maximum participation in the association’s life. Around this strong core, we must promote the value chain of our entire supply chain – Engines, Components and Accessories, Ports and dedicated Services, Charters, Sales Networks – which must also be supported with specific promotional initiatives. It is undoubtedly a strong point of our Association, an indissoluble chain, where each link contributes to the common value”. Formenti then continued with a joke about the America’s Cup: “My warmest compliments to President Meloni for having brought the America’s Cup sailing to Naples, a coup that simultaneously supports sailing, sports and the South” then closing with what he defined as “the most delicate and urgent issue: training. Confindustria Nautica intends to disseminate with renewed commitment the professional opportunities that the sector offers to young people and find new ways to train specialized workers and promote the culture of sailing and boating”.

The public assembly was also attended by Daniela Santanchè, Minister of Tourism, Edoardo Rixi, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Ricardo Rigillo, Chief of Staff of the Minister for Marine Policies, Mario Zanetti, Confindustria delegate for the Marine Economy and the six ‘milestones’ of the Nautical Plan 2025-2029 were presented – Industrial role and tourism related industry, Technological innovation and sustainable transition, Protection of Made in Italy and market surveillance, Regulatory simplification and fiscal competitiveness, Maritime culture, in addition to Training – which will be developed in the coming months by the sector assemblies.

The General Council also approved the team of vice presidents, with three new appointments and one confirmation, two of which are already sector presidents. “I presented a proposal certainly based on the balance of associations and the main production areas of the country, but strongly focused on the strategic lines of the program, redrawing the usual areas of delegation,” explained Formenti.

Two new features, Professional training and sea culture, entrusted to Eng. Vincenzo Poerio (CEO of Tankoa Yachts), and Southern Italy Development and Zes, which are added to Internationalization, delegated to Dr. Marco Monsurrò (CEO of Coelmo); European Representation is combined with national legislation and entrusted to Dr. Fabio Planamente (partner and board member of Cantiere del Pardo), Promotion of Made in Italy and Business Networks is confirmed to Dr. Alessandro Gianneschi (CEO of Gianneschi Pumps and Blowers) who also acquires Associative Development.

Among the various interventions, the one by Minister Santanchè is worth highlighting: “Pleasure boating has a central role in the relaunch of national tourism. In 2024, there was a 2% growth in moorings, with positive forecasts for 2025 (+2.9% permanent, +3.2% transit). The sector generates 8.3 billion euros in turnover and, with the supply chain, over 210,000 employees, confirming itself among the excellences of Made in Italy. We have started interventions for the redevelopment of tourist ports, the strengthening of digital connectivity and the integration of services via app and we are working to make boating more accessible and sustainable, promoting international events such as the America’s Cup in Naples in 2027, an event that can make a difference, not only for the South, but for the entire nation” and that of Fortis (Edison Foundation), who explained how “Pleasure boats are one of the spearheads of the “new surplus” with foreign countries of Made in Italy, together with cruise ships, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, optics and cosmetics, from 2019 to 2024 the contribution of the nautical sector (+1.8 billion euros) to the growth of the overall Italian manufacturing surplus (+12.5 billion) was 14.3%. Italian exports of pleasure and sports boats have increased significantly in the last ten years, from 2014 to 2024 (+119% in value), more than double the national manufacturing exports as a whole (+55%), reaching a historic record of 4.3 billion euros”.

Source: Superyacht24.it