VENEZIA 2024
2024/06/11
Venice, June 2, 2024. With more than 30,000 visitors, the fifth edition of the Venice boat show closes its doors, which for five days brought to the arsenal, cradle of the serenissima navy, the excellence of Italian boating, that made in Italy that makes us the first industry in the world for the construction of large boats, and also the major international shipyards that have chosen Venice in search of new markets.
The Venice boat show, which expresses ever-growing numbers quantitatively and qualitatively, has confirmed itself as one of the most anticipated events in the industry. Its placement in the calendar makes it unique for the opportunity to present important novelties away from the fall events. More than 300 boats, 240 of which were in the water (put in a row, a long line of 2,800 meters could be made), among the most innovative and technological ones docked along the docks of the Great Dock and the dedicated piers, with a development of 1,100 meters. The numbers are growing: 270 companies, 30 new shipyards and 15 world premieres. The event-created by vela spa on behalf of the municipality of Venice in cooperation with the italian navy, which manages the stretch of water-is supported by the government and region of Veneto, which has recognized it as an international event.
"the first edition of the Venice boat show was a challenge and a test for the arsenal, which is the natural location for this type of event and for a major boat show, as this show is proving to be. We have reached the fifth edition and for boating enthusiasts the show has become a point of reference, a flagship of made in Italy but also a showcase for the new products of the great international shipyards,” says the mayor of the municipality of Venice. ”We have invested many resources in the recovery of the arsenal complex and bet on its use that is compatible with its history and what it has meant over the centuries. The steady growth of exhibitors and visitors, whom I thank, is proof that we were right and that this place can only be the home of naval art. We now have primacy in the sustainable navigation debate."
Venice confirmed itself as a city of passions, elegance and art with the biennial exhibitions just a few meters away from the salon. Many boaters arrived with their boat mooring in the marinas, many found their dream boat. The mayor continued, “the boat show in recent years has been an engine that has led Venice to be a place where boating is expressed before and after the boat show with great events. A place of excellence and this is one of the goals we had: the city as a reference point for yachts and megayachts. The megayachts that we can host are and will be a way to raise the level of visiting our city. In addition, around these boats, there is a lot of work and an inducement of high-level craftsmanship that must not be lost, and if we can keep them in the winter period as well, it will be another success. My thanks go to all the people who worked to make this edition a success, to all the exhibitors who chose to come to Venice, to the public and to the people of the sea who responded to our call. We look forward to seeing you all at the next edition, which will be held from May 29 to June 2, 2025."
Among the entrepreneurs visiting the show is Sandro Veronesi, ad of the oniverse group (formerly calzedonia), which controls the pardo shipyard, a manufacturer of sail and motor boats. “Venice is an iconic, world-renowned place,” he says, “it has always been the gateway to the east, and this historic vocation can be recovered, also because the east represents a increasingly interesting and wealthy tourism.
The Azimut Benetti group chose for its world premiere of the seadeck 6 precisely the setting of the Venetian tense. Marco valle, ad of the group, says, “the venice show, in order to distinguish itself from others, focuses a lot on sustainability. That's why we chose to exhibit seadeck 6 here, which is a concentrate of everything the nautical and yachting world can express in terms of sustainability, both from the point of view of use and consumption and of components installed on board."
The list of world premieres is long: among the big boats, the Wider 92 came from the central Adriatic as did the silent yacht 62, a full electric catamaran with a large area dedicated to solar panels. From poole in england landed sunseeker . “I want to pay my compliments to those who conceived and realized this boat show,” said Andrea Frabetti ceo of Sunseeker, “I travel like so many of you to all the boat shows. I believe that the experience that the customer can have in Venice is fundamental. .The fact that the beauty of the city surrounds our boats can make this the most important boat show in the world."
The Ferretti group presented at least three big boats, the shuttle 38 produced by custom line, infinyto 90, Pershing gtx 80. Ad avv. Alberto Galassi says, “a boat show like Venice attracts not only italians, but also croatians, slovenians, austrians, czechs, and many others, ideally everyone who has a boat on the adriatic. We chose to present in Venice the shuttle 38, which is the flagship of the new custom line fleet, precisely because it is a place that attracts and pleases." Completing the catwalk of large Italian groups present was sanlorenzo, which displayed SL 92 and the blugames under the iconic hands of Lorenzo Quinn.
“I think participating in a boat show like the one in Venice is very interesting,” says president and ad Massimo Perotti, “first of all because it is in the spring, which is the beginning of the use of the boats: if the shipyards have some boats still to sell, here they have a wonderful opportunity to meet clients. Also, it is a boat show on the Adriatic side, so it faces a very important market, which is Eastern Europe." Not just big boats in Venice: a whole pier has been set up with about 50 electric boats with sustainable propulsion, where hydrogen appeared, an a pier was dedicated to sailboats with the flagship Jeanneau yachts 65.
“the boat show sees almost 1,500 people working every day between the sailing staff for the general organization and all services ranging from berth management to rigging, transportation, security, cleaning, catering, as well as hostesses and stewards,” says Fabrizio D'oria, chief operating officer of vela spa and the Venice boat show, “since the first edition,
one of the focuses on which we focused was sustainability, declined both in the presentation of new boats with full electric, hybrid and the first hydrogen motorization and in the numerous conferences and appointments that also had the future of the infrastructure itself at the center of the discussion
We would like to thank the exhibitors, partners and the ICE agency whose presence confirms the international vocation of the city. The boat show is among the fixed appointments in the city's calendar of events and, above all, in the international calendar of world boating."
“The fifth edition of the Venice Boat Show attests to the constant qualitative and quantitative growth of the exhibition offer,” adds Alberto Bozzo, commercial director of the Venice Boat Show. “During these days, we have been in continuous dialogue with the exhibitors present and also with those who, although they were unable to attend this year, wanted to visit us to observe the event. Our intention is to work with all of them to produce an even richer and more interesting 2025 edition, further expanding and improving the exhibition areas."
Having now become part of the highlights of the Venetian spring, the Boat Show has taken on an increasingly international dimension over time, thanks to the extraordinary nature of its setting inside the Arsenal, but especially by virtue of its position in the Mediterranean panorama, being the only boat show in the sector that looks eastward. It has thus become a reference point for boating enthusiasts, renewing the deep bond between Venice and the sea, in the city that has always celebrated the marriage with its waters.
Big news of the 2024 edition was the Wood Village, a pier where Venetian shipyards that still make boats according to ancient techniques and tools of traditional woodworking craftsmanship were concentrated. A total of some 20 boats, of various sizes, were made by the Giovanni Da Ponte, Falegnameria Artigiana Pesce, Andrea Zane, Serenella, Crosera, Dalla Pietà Cultural Association wooden boats, and Venmar shipyards.
Also for this edition, the Boat Show played a key role in promoting a culture of sustainability to respond to the growing interest in environmental respect and the adoption of green solutions. A common thread linked the five days of the Venetian fair: the focus on sustainability in terms of both the use of materials and propulsion systems, including electric, hybrid and hydrogen. Among the fifty or so appointments, of particular note was the one that saw the major Italian shipyards - Ferretti Group, Azimut Benetti, Sanlorenzo and Cantieri del Pardo - take stock of the future of pleasure boating in the third millennium as a driver of employment and the image of Made in Italy. Ecological, energy and digital transition were discussed with Assonautica,
while Assomarinas promoted the usual appointment dedicated to marinas, safety and the environment. The Venice Capital of Sustainability Foundation promoted an appointment to discuss infrastructure investments and sustainable revitalization plans for Venice in the Mose era and opened in Tesa 66 of the Arsenal the Waterproof Venice exhibition. And then, the focus of the presentations and panel discussions were the blue economy, hydrogen, and circular design processes to encourage sustainability, lower emissions, and waste prevention.
Sustainability is also in the approach to the organization of the event itself, which has embarked on a path of sustainable event management system certification with reference to the ISO 20121:2012 standard, through the involvement of various stakeholders in the definition of innovative solutions, obtaining the prestigious award at each edition.
As part of Tesa 99, the Fondazione Musei Civici showcased the results of the International Competition for the Selection of Studies and Projects of Boats-Sustainable Navigation, dedicated specifically to projects pertaining to “Selection of Studies and Projects of Boats-Sustainable Navigation.” This year's all-university challenge featured students from the University Campus La Spezia-Promostudi, University of Trieste, Politecnico di Milano. For each university, the five most deserving and innovative projects with characteristics of high energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact were selected.
In addition to the presence of nautical excellence, the Boat Show, as in previous editions, was also the container of workshops and educational activities for children and families, water trials and demonstrations of Venetian rowing.
Many sporting occasions, enclosed in the container of the Salone, see their natural declination here. These included the Ski Voga Race Trofeo Bortoli Assicurazioni the presentation of the 11th edition of the Venice Challenge - Grand Prix of the City of Venice, the Slalom and E-Ballerina races that ended with the silent E-Regatta parade along the Grand Canal and St. Mark's Basin.