Awareness and sustainability at the heart of the 23rd Benetti Yachtmaster in Abu Dhabi
Over two hundred participants attended the two-day event focused on technological innovations and nautical design, united to chart a course towards navigation that is increasingly in harmony with the environment.
The 2023 edition of the Benetti Yachtmaster event, recently held in Abu Dhabi, hosted over 200 participants, including 110 captains, owner representatives, surveyors, stewardesses, and professionals.
According to the Azimut Benetti group, the program focused on the future of international yachting, featuring a wealth of meetings, insights, and networking opportunities, sparked an interesting debate on innovative sustainability solutions.
Under the slogan "Build Your Ideal Yacht," the annual event, now in its 23rd year, focused on the importance of engaging with all participants to develop a shared understanding of the future of sailing. The two-day conference and workshop event highlighted the state of the art in technological innovation, eco-friendly alternatives available today and in the future for reducing CO2 emissions, onboard energy storage, and the development of eco-fuel solutions to ensure increasingly environmentally friendly sailing.
In her opening remarks, Giovanna Vitelli, President of the Azimut Benetti Group, stated that, in the future, awareness will be the driver for achieving and guiding future customer demands toward habits that reduce environmental impact. This awareness stems from Benetti's history and foresight, acquired over the years and aimed at constantly exploring new alternative technologies. The history of Benetti, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, the President stated, boasts many examples of innovation excellence, from the first diesel-electric Ambrosia 65M in 2005, to the launch in 2022 of the B.Yond 37M, equipped with the Full-Hybrid E-Mode system, developed by Benetti with Siemens Energy.
The floor was then given to Benetti's Commercial Director, Sebastiano Fanizza, who focused on the commercial importance of the Arabian Peninsula and illustrated what the shipyard offers the market today in terms of sustainability. He emphasized the importance of open dialogue among all the yachting players and highlighted the key role played by captains and the shipyard in creating the Yacht of the Future.
It was noted that the IMO's objectives of reducing carbon intensity by 40% by 2030 are a clear goal for Benetti, one that will be achieved thanks to its foresight and pioneering spirit in research and development; the route is already mapped out.
In this sense, the solutions identified by Benetti engineers for the medium term are new hybrid and electric propulsion systems, Hotel Mode Zero Emission systems, supported by latest-generation high-energy density lithium battery packs, new materials developed to last over time and, potentially for the future, alternative fuels such as Bio Fuel (HVO), because they are realistic in terms of technology, storage and widespread availability of these energy sources.
The event concluded with a roundtable discussion involving the captains, who shared their experiences on stage, highlighting the importance of the quality of logistics services offered to crews in shipyards and the need for innovative solutions to meet shipowners' needs.
The two-day event featured training sessions, team building sessions, and fun. Pure adrenaline also erupted on the morning of February 16th at the Ferrari World center, where the teams competed in a thrilling race. Afterward, guests gathered at Qasr al Watan Palace, a true testament to the spirit of the UAE people, for an exclusive tour and a thrilling light and music show against the spectacular backdrop of the Palace. The evening concluded in the magical Arabian atmosphere of the Emirates Palace with an elegant, all-white traditional gala dinner, immersed in the floral beauty of its gardens.
The following Group partners were present at the event and engaged in constructive discussions with all participants: Lusben, Viraver, Volvo Penta (Giga Partner); Asea Power System, Boero YachtCoatings, CGT, Jotun, Kongsberg, Rina, Saim Marine, San Severino Napoli (Mega Partner); Asea Nautica, CMC Marine, Sevenstar Yacht Transport, MTU, Naiad Dynamics, Fincantieri, Versilia Supply Service, and Videoworks.
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