Genoa is working to welcome the record-breaking yacht carrier.

Yacht Servant, the largest and most capacious yacht carrier in the world, will be launched in a few months. Dyt Yacht Transport She will set sail for Genoa, and the port community is already working to find a suitable dock. Like the other vessels in the fleet that preceded her, she will begin commuting between Central America and the Mediterranean. This record-breaking vessel, recently built in China by the Yantai CIMC Raffles shipyard, was the focus of a webinar organized by the Propeller Club Port of Genoa and titled: "Yacht Servant: The New Frontier for Yacht Transport. What Will This Mean for Genoa?" A question that was addressed by the Ligurian capital's mayor, Marco Bucci; the president of Genova For Yachting, Giovanni Costaguta; Aldo Negri, director of the Finsea group; and Gabriele Consiglieri, sales manager for Southern Europe at DYT Yacht Transport.

"These self-sinking vessels used to dock at the Pra' port, but that option hasn't been available for some time (the pier was demolished, ed.). Over the past year, it has been worked on at the Bulk Terminal, but with compatibility issues with the cargo unloaded just a few meters from the quay (the bulk cargo, ed.). It went to the Genoa Metal Terminal, where, however, there are draft restrictions, it called at the IMT Terminal in Messina, and was diverted to Savona a couple of times. Work is underway to find a mother ship for the vessel," explained Aldo Negri, who acts as the company's agent through Multimarine Services. However, a new and hopefully permanent alternative is currently being studied: "The hypothesis is the Genoa Pra' breakwater, i.e., the mooring that once housed the wreck of the Concordia, where there would be no particular restrictions." Also because this vessel, explains Gabriele Consiglieri, sales manager for Dyt Yacht Transport in Southern Europe, "can also operate at anchor, loading and unloading yachts, but requires weather and sea conditions that aren't always possible. The breakwater option would be very similar to operating at anchor."

"Genoa aims to play a key role in the Mediterranean, a region that accounts for 75-80% of the world's recreational boating tonnage, so it can manage all customer needs: shipbuilding, maintenance, ports, agencies, crews, etc. If there are problems or difficult situations, we will resolve them as a community; the boating industry must become one of our driving forces," the mayor stated in his opening remarks.

The Yacht Servant's most important feature is its draft. "Any yacht that fits on deck in terms of length and width can be transported. Until now, the only limitation was draft, because for the other vessel, Yacht Express, for example, it was a maximum of -5 meters. With Yacht Servant, we can take on board yachts with drafts of over 7 meters, which significantly expands the market share we can serve," Consiglieri explained.

The Dyt Yacht Transport salesman also highlighted some other important features of the new vessel that has just joined the fleet: "The capacity of the two cranes located near the forecastle (25 tons each) is also noteworthy: thanks to them, small boats and containers can be lifted and loaded. When moving sailboats, especially racing yachts, these vessels also need to carry containers with equipment, spare parts, etc. This service is particularly valuable in these times, with high freight rates and limited cargo capacity." Consiglieri concluded by emphasizing: "What Genoa can offer in terms of logistics and support is unmatched. Furthermore, its geographic location is perfect due to its proximity to major construction and refit centers."

Regarding the challenges of bringing Yacht Servant to the Ligurian capital, Negri noted that not all terminals are capable of accommodating it, primarily because "it has a subsea capacity of up to 14 meters." As mentioned, however, Finsea management appeared confident that a solution could be found soon, thanks in part to the ongoing collaboration and discussions with the Genoa Port Authority.

Giovanni Costaguta, president of Genoa For Yachting, in addition to demonstrating the value and the related benefits of the superyacht sector in Liguria, highlighted how for the port, being called upon by such a vessel represents great value because it raises awareness of our city worldwide. Furthermore, it allows the sector I represent to circulate many vessels with their crews and activate the entire supply chain. Costaguta concluded by saying that "Genoa is already an important nautical hub but could grow. It is important to make it clear at the local level that this is a driving sector." For this reason, a study was commissioned a few years ago, which showed that the sector had an impact on the regional GDP of approximately €370 million for 2019. The updated data for 2020 and 2021 will be presented next spring.

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