Genova for Yachting: "More effort is needed to prevent the escape of maxi-yachts."  

Four new members are on the way, the president has been confirmed, but a thorny issue remains unresolved: the status of seafarers on large yachts, which still needs to be resolved. The annual meeting of Genova for Yachting was quite lively and well attended, a sign that the issues on the table are highly topical.

It is no coincidence that senators Roberta Pinotti and Edoardo Rixi arrived to follow the proceedings, with the deputy Raffaella Paita who connected remotely: they are the parliamentarians who are following the seafarers' situation, trying to find a practicable solution to a rather complex legal problem.

Genova for Yachting, the association founded in 2017 that represents the Genoese professional nautical sector, met at the Blue District premises at Molo and welcomed four new members: First Srl (Professionals); Rimeta Srl (services); Eazy Bunker Srl Unipersonale (services); and Stelio Bardi Srl (specialized companies), bringing the total to 57.

The meeting then confirmed Giovanni Costaguta of Yachtline Arredomare 1618 Spa as president.

For Genova for Yachting members, today was an opportunity to learn, based on business performance data compiled by The European House Ambrosetti, a preview of the economic impact generated in the region in 2020 and 2021, which saw an 11% decrease in value compared to 2019, the pre-pandemic year.

This decline in 2021 is due both to the Covid-19 pandemic and, starting in October, to the restriction on the movement of non-EU seafarers. This has significantly reduced transit (-8%) and stopovers for yachts up to 75 meters in length in Genoa, with obvious negative consequences for the related industries. According to the association, this effect will undoubtedly continue in 2022 and threatens the region's competitiveness and the continued global leadership of the Genoese professional yachting sector.

Faced with the global superyacht market continuing to grow and projected to reach 7700 large vessels by 2030, GFY members have renewed their request to institutional representatives for further assistance to definitively resolve the issue of the movement of non-EU seafarers, which is driving large yachts away from Genoa and exacerbating the competitive disadvantage between Italy and other EU states.

"Operationally, we hope that the necessary discussions will take place within the relevant ministries and that policymakers will draft a further amendment requiring the stamping of a seafarer's departure from Italy on his or her document whenever the departure of the vessel on which the seafarer is embarking is determined or determinable by the captain's communication to the competent authorities. The goal should be to restore the previous regime of free movement, of course with the targeted and non-indiscriminate introduction of the precautions indicated by the Court," stated Costaguta.

During his presentation, Costaguta also shared with members the ongoing activities that outline the goals for the coming year. These include participation in the debate on the city's infrastructure development; training new generations of project managers, technicians, and artisans, proposing the creation of a school for maritime artisans; raising awareness among member companies about environmental sustainability issues; and finally, reporting on local developments internationally, with the goal of promoting Genoa's presence worldwide.