The 23rd Benetti Yachtmaster, an event for industry professionals held this year from February 15 to 16 in Abu Dhabi, was attended by over 200 participants, including 110 captains, surveyors, stewardesses and professionals, who brought the two-day event to life with discussions about the future of the international yacht industry.
A programme packed with meetings, in-depth discussions, and opportunities for networking sparked an interesting debate on innovative solutions to sustainability issues.
A focus on sustainability
This year’s edition of the annual event, with the claim “Build Your Ideal Yacht”, focused on the importance of involving all participants in the development of a new awareness about the future of yachting.
Two days of conferences and workshops to get up to speed on the state of the art in technology innovations, on alternative eco-friendly alternatives available today and planned for the future to reduce CO2 emissions and to store energy on board, and on research into eco-fuel solutions so that yachting is increasingly respectful of the nature around us.
Playing host, Azimut|Benetti Group President Giovanna Vitelli laid out her vision for a future in which awareness will be the driver steering customers towards solutions that reduce environmental impact.
The event was also an opportunity to look back over the history of Benetti in the year of its 150th anniversary.
Yacht industry and environment
The objective set out by the IMO of a 40% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030 is a defined target for Benetti, which it will achieve thanks to the Shipyard’s spirit in R&D: the course has already been charted.
The solutions identified by Benetti’s engineers for the medium term are the new hybrid and electric propulsion systems, the Hotel Mode Zero Emission systems supported by latest generation high-energy-density lithium battery packs, new materials developed to endure over time and, potentially for the future, alternative fuels such as Bio Fuel (HVO), because they are the most realistic in terms of technology, storage and the broad availability of these energy sources.
After his intervention there was a panel discussion involving the captains, who presented their own personal experiences, highlighting the importance of the quality of the logistic services offered to crews and shipyards and the need for innovative propositions to satisfy the needs of owners.
