Poerio (Tankoa Yachts): “Another shipyard for refitting and separation from building activities”

Lido di Camaiore (Lucca) – Also Tankoa Yachts is getting ready to invest in the refit business with a new special department.

Tankoa CEO and Yare Chairman Vincenzo Poerio revealed it to SUPER YACHT 24 during the Yare 2023 thirteenth edition that just ended.

Mr. Poerio, do you have any news about Tankoa’s search for new areas in order to expand its activities in Genoa and in Italy?

“We are determined to keep on outfitting boats in Genoa because we have a construction phase related to existing structures and a temporary phase in which we are working to keep on producing, but we are planning to build new workspaces in order to have new areas to outfit our yachts. We will have to carry out all our steel and aluminium production elsewhere, either in Genoa – if we find the areas and the right partners able to help us – or in other areas in Italy”.

Could you play a vital role in the naval repairs restyling planned in the port of Genoa? Did you talk about this possibility with Mayor Bucci?

 “Yes, definitely. Naval repairs have always been a strength for Genoa. Unfortunately, except for a few smaller shipyards, today we are probably the only shipyard building ships. We are definitely thinking about it, also because refitting is Genoa’s core business. Certain scenarios, especially with regard to naval repairs, were created by Amico&Co. as well as by other shipyards. In Genoa, the problem has always been caused by premises and areas. We hope for fillings and dry docks, but this is an urgent need, therefore we need to act quickly”.

Besides your well known option in Civitavecchia (former Privilege shipyard), where are you focusing your research?

 “In Italy there are many opportunities. We are Italian and we take pride in it”.

Can you tell us where in Italy?

 “We are happy to work in Genoa. As concerns Italy, for now we are exploring different areas, but we have not made up our minds yet. We are trying to find areas already equipped to carry out our activities. Planning to split a company is always difficult, but we did decide to separate these two activities and we will keep outfitting activities in Genoa”.

Will you try to carry out both outfitting and refitting activities simultaneously?

 “Yes, definitely”.

Then, is it possible that the second shipyard you are looking for could focus more on refitting compared to your plant in Genoa?

 “It will focus on steel and aluminium construction, as well as on pre-outfitting and refitting activities, where necessary. In fact, unfortunately at present the supply chain is too limited to develop the work required, consequently we could carry out some works internally. Therefore, it is possible that some special outfitting works might be carried out internally, especially because unfortunately we have an overload of work”.

Is there any chance that you will decide to carry out these works abroad?

 “No, we will always do everything in Italy. Working with suppliers, we try to encourage entrepreneurs to grow and improve their quality. We need to create and improve our network in Genoa and in its outskirts because we know that it is not easy. Our territory boasts hundreds of years of history, therefore we must extend it along all the Tyrrhenian coast. We know that they started several activities also along the Adriatic coast, therefore Italy is investing in a sector that, in my opinion, will be our future. And rightly so, because the luxury market is a niche market, although it requires a lot of mechanics and mechanical engineering”.

Competition between shipyards is increasing also for refit works, but the demand for upcoming years is very large…

 “The most important thing is understanding if market conditions are favourable and probably, instead of competing for the market among ourselves, we should collaborate to concentrate it entirely in Italy. Therefore, working well as an industry implies also trying to improve Italy’s image and make it attractive. And let’s not forget that Europe is the attractive continent for the yachting sector, consequently we should try to gain more markets in Europe”.

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