“Build Your Ideal Yacht” is the title of the two days of meetings on the technological and design innovations of the boating industry to chart together the course towards a navigation more and more in harmony with the environment
The 23rd edition of the Benetti Yachtmaster, an event dedicated to industry professionals, closes with success. For this edition held Feb. 15-16 in Abu Dhabi, the event hosted more than 200 participants including 110 captains, owner representatives, surveyors, stewardesses and professionals who enlivened the two-day event with discussions aimed at the future of international boating. A program full of meetings, insights and networking moments opened an interesting debate on innovative solutions in sustainability.
Build Your Own Yacht
The annual event, which for this edition adopted the claim “Build Your Ideal Yacht,” focused on the importance of discussion with all participants to develop together a new awareness of the future of yachting. Two days of lectures and workshops took stock of the state of the art on technological innovations, environmentally friendly alternative proposals available today and for the future for reducing CO2 emissions, on-board energy storage and the study of eco-fuel solutions to ensure sailing that is increasingly respectful of the nature in which we live.
Doing the honors was Giovanna Vitelli, President of the Azimut Benetti Group, who brought to the stage her vision of the future, where awareness will be the driver to achieve and guide future customer demands toward habits that reduce environmental impact. This awareness comes from Benetti’s history and foresight acquired over the years and directed toward always studying new alternative technologies. The history of Benetti, in fact, boasts many excellences of innovation such as the first diesel electric Ambrosia 65M in 2005, up to the launch in 2022 of the B.YOND 37M, equipped with Full-Hybrid E-MODE system, developed by Benetti with Siemens Energy. It was also an opportunity to recall Benetti’s history in the year of its 150th anniversary celebration.
Sebastiano Fanizza, Benetti’s Chief Commercial Officer, recalled the commercial importance of the Arabian Peninsula and illustrated what the shipyard offers the market today in terms of sustainability, recalling the importance of an open dialogue between all the yachting players, highlighting the key one in the creation of the Yacht of the Future between the captains and the Shipyard.
The goals for sustainability
The IMO’s goals of reducing carbon intensity by 40 percent by 2030 are a clear objective for Benetti that the Shipyard’s foresight and pioneering spirit in research and development will enable it to achieve; the course is already set.
The solutions identified by Benetti’s engineers for the medium term are new hybrid and electric propulsion systems, Hotel Mode Zero Emission systems, supported by the latest generation of high energy density lithium battery packs, new materials developed to last and potentially for the future alternative fuels such as Bio Fuel (HVO), because they are the realistic ones in terms of technology, storage and widespread availability of such energy sources.
The talk concluded with a panel discussion involving captains who brought their experience to the stage highlighting the importance of the quality of logistics services offered to crews in shipyards and the need for innovative proposals to meet the needs of shipowners.
Team building and breathtaking experiences
Moments of training alternated with moments of team building and fun. Pure adrenaline on the morning of February 16 at the Ferrari World center where teams competed in a race to the finish. Next, the guests met at the Qasr al Watan Palace, a true testament to the spirit of the people of the United Arab Emirates, for an exclusive visit and a particularly exciting show of lights and music in the spectacular backdrop of the Palace. The evening ended in the magical Arabian atmosphere of the Emirates Palace with a very elegant traditional gala dinner in total white surrounded by the floral beauty of its gardens.
Partners present at the event: Lusben, Viraver, Volvo Penta. MEGA partners: ASEA Power System, Boero YachtCoatings, CGT, Jotun, Kongsberg, RINA, Saim Marine, San Severino Napoli. CLASS partners: Asea Nautica, CMC Marine, Sevenstar Yacht Transport, MTU, Naiad Dynamics, Fincantieri, Versilia Supply Service, Videoworks.
(Benetti Yachmaster, the 23rd edition celebrates 150 years of the shipyard – barchemagazine.com – March 2023)
