Luca Triggiani: "Commanders are now HR managers."

The profession of maxi yacht captain is changing profoundly and SUPER YACHT 24 has often dealt with this phenomenon by interviewing several of them on topics such as MCA titles or the difficulty of operating in a complex regulatory context, if not contradictory. With Luca Triggiani, training manager and member of the Italian Yacht Masters board of directors, it's inevitable to touch on the topics of the professional development and continuing education of captains, who today require ever-changing skills.

Triggiani, a Genoese native with a distinguished background in the Naval Academy and the Italian Navy, and studies completed in Great Britain, France, and the United States, has been a pleasure boat captain since 1999 and recently took delivery of the 74-meter "Roe" from the Turkish shipyard Turquoise Yachts for his owner. He has overseen every phase of construction of the brand-new pleasure vessel he has taken command of (he even personally designed the integrated bridge) and is now preparing to begin the summer season in the Mediterranean, leading a crew of 21, almost all of whom are foreigners.

It is interesting to note that Roe can count on the support of a 28-meter shadow boat built by the Dutch Lynx Yachts, a testament to the owner's great passion for sailing and his desire to take care of every detail.

Commander Triggiani, what kind of season will it be for “Roe”?

"We're currently finalizing preparations here in Sanremo. We'll soon move to Monaco and begin cruises around the French Riviera, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, the Campania coast, Malta, and the Balearic Islands. The owner enjoys spending time with his family; the yacht is private."

Let's talk about your industry: what effect are the detentions of Russian megayachts having?

"It's obvious that some captains have suffered the consequences of this situation and have remained grounded, but others have relocated, and we, as an association, have tried to lend them a hand whenever possible. Russian shipowners traditionally paid well, but our salaries are still recovering."

Can you give us some figures? What is the job market for commanders like?

"For 45-50 meter boats, we're talking about figures starting at €4.500 per month under the Italian flag, but they can go up to €12. A colleague recently found a €9 contract on a 35-meter, for example."

And the chief engineers?

“There's a huge demand for them, especially if they're Italian and qualified. Sometimes they even earn more than the commanders—we're talking about 9-10 euros a month for six-month contracts.”

What's the latest news for you commanders?

“Perhaps the most significant development of the last period is that rotations are starting to become available, even for 2 months + 2, following the example of what happens on commercial ships.”

How is your work changing?

"The modern captain is less and less a 'sea dog' or a sort of emperor on board who issues orders as was once the case; today he is practically a company's human resources director. He must know how to manage crew rotations and training, and also plan and implement specific 'crew retention' programs to update and retain those who will later join him."

What is the international perception of Italian commanders?

"Very good, and it's improved in recent years, I must say, thanks in part to the work of our Italian Yacht Masters association. Generally, we Italians are very focused on our work, practically 24/7 due to our passion for it, while our Anglo-Saxon colleagues perhaps completely switch off when they're not working. However, we need to take a step further, especially from a cultural perspective, for example in choosing crews: sometimes we still tend to favor our fellow countrymen instead of looking purely at their skills."

What training guidelines is the Italian Yacht Masters working on?

"Precisely by expanding the skills and further training and development of commanders. In recent years, we've been pushing hard on issues such as leadership and the human factor, sustainability and environmental aspects, but also on more technical aspects such as dynamic positioning and polar code, with dedicated courses."

Do Italian commanders know how to network effectively?

"I would absolutely say yes. Italian Yacht Masters was created precisely for this purpose, to support and guide the category, as well as to lobby internationally. Even the shipyards have understood that it's in their best interest for owners to hire Italian captains, as the yachts might then stay with us during the winter season, generating significant revenue."

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