Venice is not just one thing, as the host of the extravagant gala evening on the second night at the Benetti Yacht Master Night theatrically informed us.  Likewise, the event was about much more than just the storied host city. Venice celebrated the 1,600th anniversary of its founding on the 25th March 2022, coinciding with the last day of the Benetti Yacht Master, with the Sinking City proving the perfect backdrop for a lively event from the team at Benetti. Dragon Boating the canals and being in the front row for the famous Venetian Carnival performance was unforgettable, but the event was about more than just the festivities; it provided a fascinating insight into the growth and vision of the Italian giant of superyacht manufacturing. In a preview of the SuperyachtNews coverage of the event, we examine the core themes from the Benetti Yacht Master 2022. 

The Benetti Yacht Master was also a return to in-person interaction after a digital-only iteration in 2021. Over three days, the largest yacht manufacturer in the world (depending on the metric) outlined its vision for continued growth in a hectic market, and how it approaches the operators of its fleet. The high number of Benetti captains, crew and managers in attendance supported some of the headline figures about the growing Benetti fleet outlined in the first morning; With Sebastiano Fanizza, Benetti Yachts COO, informing the audience that Benetti delivered 26,207 total gross tons and  2005 meters of LOA, worth over €1.1 billion, in 2021 alone. 

Marco Valle,  Azimut Benetti Group CEO was also quick to highlight the fact that while Benetti is producing the boats, that is only part of the story; how they are used and maintained are vitally important, and why, in his words, they are investing so much in this area. The central topic covered in detail was the issue of sustainability and environmental compliance. After a few events, you can get numb to the topic, despite the gravity of the situation we all find ourselves in. The issues seem insurmountable, hard to untangle and quantify, let alone solve, and the vague promises and assertions feel unsatisfactory. But The Benetti Yacht Master 2022 was different from where I sat. The discussions on the shortcomings of different hydrogen storage solutions and the potential for others, such as methanol, as well as the assessments from key players such as battery suppliers, were detailed and pulled no punches. 

Giovanna Vitelli, Vice President of Azimut Benetti Group succinctly stated that Benetti does not see full electric as the answer at present, and their focus is on providing the best hybrid electric solutions. It was refreshing to hear the frank assessments from Benetti, as well as to see the full supply chain of suppliers and representatives that they hope to help achieve their targets,  given centre stage. 

Michael Amato, business development manager at Lusben Refit and Repair

Many of the discussions that followed over the event covered the ancillary technological developments that will underpin Benetti's transition to a sustainable production cycle, the expanding refit potential at Lusben Refit and Repair, and next-generation technology and fuels. While presenting an obviously bias viewpoint, it was fascinating to trace this trajectory through the Benetti lens. In a series of forthcoming articles, SuperyachtNews will be examining in more detail, and evaluate what lessons the Benetti approach can give the wider industry as we, collectively, try to transition to a sustainable future.

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