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After nine intense days, the 2022 Venice Boat Show [1] concludes its third edition recording over 30 thousand visitors and strengthening its position. The goal declared in 2019 by the Mayor of Venice Luigi Brugnaro was to bring the boating industry back to the Arsenale, revive the ancient tese, and reinstate Venice as the home of the maritime industry and the sea lovers. 300 boats, 240 of which were in the water, for a total length of 2.7 kilometers, 200 exhibitors, over 2000 operators, 500 staff members, 402 accredited journalists, and more than 50 cultural and in-depth events including conferences and talk shows, most of which dedicated to the theme of sustainability, the health of the sea, and new electric and hybrid propulsion systems: the 2022 Boat Show has succeeded in its objectives, confirming the city’s role as the capital of the sea and strengthening its candidacy as World Capital of Sustainability.
The Main Riviera of the Venice Boat Show seen from the Gaggiandre yard and from the water. (© Salone Nautico Venezia).
Yachts moored along the Main Riviera at the Arsenale during the Boat Show 2022. (© Salone Nautico Venezia).
Pleasure boating came out stronger and, being a guest of the Serenissima, showed its best image. The boat is an intimate place, a private island, a place where to experience affection and share peaceful moments but also where to experiment, to talk about the future and technology.
The event, welcomed by the Italian Government, the Veneto Region, and supported by the Italian Trade Agency, was also held in close cooperation with the Italian Navy, which granted the area of the Arsenale of Venice. Once again, the Boat Show was organized according to a sustainable event management system, for which it received the ISO 20121: 2013 certification from RINA Spa.
“With this Boat Show the sea lovers responded to the call and demonstrated the allure of sailing,” commented Luigi Brugnaro, Mayor of Venice and first promoter of the event. “It was an important edition, which consolidated the event in the nautical exhibition calendar and which encourages us to do even better for the next year. It was a well-attended Boat Show, full of green technological innovations. Boating is one of the sectors that perform best in our country and for which Italy holds a world record. Next year we will be back from 31 May to 4 June, in the area of the Arsenale, again with the fundamental cooperation of the Italian Navy, and with many new features. The Venice Boat Show will continue to develop its vocation for sustainability: the interest of many companies looking to the future and to green nautical transport, such as E1, opens up new scenarios for the application of technological research on an industrial scale, just like it happens in Formula 1 cars. So see you next year, then. Because here in Venice, naval art has finally returned home”.
The opening of the Venice Boat Show 2022, at the presence of Luigi Brugnaro – Mayor of Venice, Renato Brunetta – Minister for Public Administration of the Italian Republic – and the invited Authorities. (© Salone Nautico Venezia).
At the third edition of the Boat Show the three big Italian groups, Ferretti Group, Azimut Benetti, Sanlorenzo, as well as Sunseeker and Beneteau, participated enthusiastically. The Wally brand presented a world preview of the Wallytender58. Absolute demonstrated to believe in the event by bringing a large part of its production, as did Sessa, Frauscher with its hybrid production, and many others.
The participating shipyards and dealers are satisfied. Timone Yacht, which, through various companies, represents many brands and above all the Azimut Benetti group, emphasizes the quality of the location that allows it to host customers in a setting that is unique in the world, the Arsenale, the ancient Serenissima boat factory.
An opinion shared also by Cantiere Rizzardi, coming from the Tyrrhenian Sea, exhibiting In-Five, a fast powerboat that was very much appreciated. An ‘Adriatic’ premiere was that of Sherpa 80, proposed by Arcadia with the cooperation of Blu Yachts.
On the electric side, thirty-six boats were displayed. Among them, it is worth mentioning Harmo, Yamaha’s new electric motor mounted on “Respiro”, a boat produced by the Venetian shipyard Venmar, which exhibits a mobility strategy good also at the sea. Then Huracan and Torqeedo, as well as the Swedish shipyard Candela, which hold its world premiere of the C8 and a new “water taxi” foiling project. Aqua Superpower, instead, presented new charging stations.
For its specific location in the Adriatic Sea, besides for its rich heritage, Venice is appealing and easy to reach for customers coming from the North and east Europe, in particular Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary and Turkey.
As usual, the Boat Show was also the stage for various sporting events taking place in the 30th year of the victory of the Moro di Venezia, testimonial of the Boat Show: the Louis Vuitton Cup, which was displayed in one of the Tese, the covered pavilions in which the Galley were built in the past, as well as the Salone Nautico Venezia Cup regatta, organized with the Compagnia della Vela, and the fifth Micro Class Italian Championship. Then the E-Regatta, which was dedicated to electric-powered boats in its various trials, organized by Assonautica with the Venice Motonautica Association, in its second edition.
The Boat Show was also the stage for various sporting events that took place in the Lagoon. (© Salone Nautico Venezia).
The entrance of the electric boats parade in rio di Cannaregio, towards the Grand Canal. (© Salone Nautico Venezia).
The Boat Show was also an opportunity to present the new E-1 sports competition, which will feature one-design Race Bird electric-powered boats, whose first registered crew is the Venice Racing Team. Finally, the Venetian shipbuilding was the protagonist with a Tesa dedicated to local shipyards.
Apart from being a showcase of the best of design and technology in the nautical sector, the Boat Show proves the essential role of Venice as benchmark between the Adriatic Sea and the whole East Mediterranean route that stretches until Istanbul along the Croatian and Greek coast.
An overview of the Arsenale and boats at sunset. (© Salone Nautico Venezia).
A sector which is growing consistently after the pandemic and that sees Italy in a top position, with its production that combines creativity, reliability and innovation. Few numbers: the total turnover of the Italian nautical industry, according to the most recent projections, amounts to about 6 billion euros, an important value that indicates the full health of the sector, in clear recovery and with a “double-digit” growth that exceeds 20% per year.
HEAD IMAGE | Departure of the electric boat parade from the Arsenale. (© Salone Nautico Venezia).
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[1] https://www.salonenautico.venezia.it/.