The sixth edition of the Venice Boat Show has been presented by the Mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro. The Show will open on 29th May and close on 2nd June. It is organised by Vela Spa on behalf of the City of Venice, in collaboration with the Italian Navy. No fewer than 15 world premieres will be on display along the docks of the Arsenale. In Venice there will be new designs and it will be possible to appreciate the dynamics of stylistic and functional fusion between the motor and sailing segments, without neglecting the catamarans that interpret new conceptual evolutions of liveability on board.
‘The Venice Boat Show is an event of extraordinary importance for the nautical sector and a unique opportunity to strengthen dialogue and collaboration. Venice, with its millenary history linked to water and navigation, is the ideal place to promote innovation, sustainability and tradition, values central to the evolution of our city and modern boating,’ said the Mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro. ’This event is not just a market, it is also and above all a moment for the exchange of knowledge, work and attention to sustainability by virtue of the in-depth analyses on the theme of the sea and how to preserve it. Thanks to the relationship built up over the years with all the realities of the sector, the Show has become much more than an exhibition showcase, it is a laboratory of ideas’.
Since its inception, the Exhibition has turned its gaze towards the East, towards the route that made Venice rich and which represents an ever-flourishing market: ‘The Venice Exhibition is one of the protagonists of the upcoming Expo 2025 Osaka with a dedicated event within the calendar of activities of the Italian Pavilion. – declared Ambassador Mario Vattani – A partner to promote the high technology and innovation of our engineering and Italian shipbuilding. It is precisely with Venice, a city that for centuries has been a bridge between East and West, that we inaugurate the promotion of Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka with a calendar full of activities and events’.
As always, the exhibition will have a particular focus on electric or hybrid propulsion for boats from 6 to 50 metres, with innovations spanning traditional, electric and hydrogen engines. The Boat Show thus confirms its role as a catalyst for the transition towards sustainable boating, hosting increasingly reliable and technologically advanced boats, alongside leading companies in the production and distribution of hydrogen for the sector. The flagship of the Boat Show will be the 50-metre Almax built by Sanlorenzo, a ship that takes an important step on the road to sustainability of which Venice is the capital.
“We feel a special and strong bond with Venice, which sees us active and involved in the city’s initiatives. We are founding members of Venice World Capital of Sustainability and promoters of art with Casa Sanlorenzo, a space dedicated to culture and the arts, which encompasses the values of sustainability, innovation and design, which will open its doors right at the end of the Boat Show – These are the words of Massimo Perotti, Executive Chairman of Sanlorenzo. Sustainable commitment is one of the key factors in Sanlorenzo’s growth, as demonstrated in our strategic plan ‘Road to 2030’, and, as pioneers in this field, we are dedicated to the constant development of new technologies. In fact, as proof of this, we will be present with the 50Steel Almax, the first superyacht in the world equipped with a Reformer Fuel cell system, capable of transforming green methanol into hydrogen and subsequently into electricity to power all the hotel equipment. Almax is the prelude to a new project, the 50 X-Space with bi-fuel propulsion, developed in collaboration with MAN, which uses green methanol and aims to reduce emissions during navigation by up to 70%’.
The Ferretti Group, which participated in the creation of the Show and has supported it since the first edition, presents the world premiere of the Pershing GTX 70 and Ferretti Yacht 940. Alberto Galassi, CEO of Ferretti Group, said: ‘The Venice Boat Show is our favourite place, we all feel great here: us, our boats, our customers, our friends. When you combine the most beautiful city in the world, with its artistic and natural wonders, with the impeccable organisation and extraordinary commitment of Mayor Brugnaro and the Administration, the result is what we see every year: a Boat Show that becomes more and more important, an unmissable occasion, knowing that the photos of the boats in the splendour of the Arsenale will immediately go around the world. It’s no coincidence that the Ferretti Group will be presenting two fantastic boats here for the first time: the Pershing GTX70 and the Ferretti Yachts 940. A famous Venetian, Giacomo Casanova, wrote that ‘reality depends on the imagination’, I recommend that everyone come to the Boat Show to admire spectacular boats, the result of the imagination and skill of the splendid Italian nautical industry’.
The sailing sector is, as always, well represented, with shipyards that produce in the Adriatic in the front row. Among these is Solaris, founded in the north east, which is also a strong basin of shipowners who are passionate about sustainable seafaring. Among the sectors in evidence, we note the strong growth of the RIB and Day cruiser sector, where the excellences of Italian industry and the proposals of important European shipyards stand out, testifying to an increasingly refined and innovation-oriented production.
An important return is represented by the Wood Village, expanded compared to previous editions. This area celebrates the art of the shipwright, with an extraordinary display of wooden motor boats that represent a tribute to tradition and craftsmanship of the highest level. A pontoon is dedicated to sailing boats, with a wide range of proposals including sailing and motor catamarans, many of which are hybrid or completely electric. These models embody a growing trend, with solutions that combine sustainability and liveability on board, redefining the pleasure boating experience.
Finally, the Show dedicates a significant space to sport and fun on the water, with practical demonstrations and innovative products such as surfboards, foils and pads, designed for a dynamic and passionate audience. The last edition recorded over 30 thousand visitors. More than 300 boats, of which 240 on the water, among the most innovative and technological, have moored along the quays of the Darsena Grande and the dedicated piers, covering a length of 1,100 metres.
