Irpino: "We will establish a new recreational boaters' association."

Gennaro Irpino is a yacht captain who, from 2005 to 2019, was also president of the Marittimi A.Ma.Di – Campania Section, and now works primarily in the charter sector. His intense fifteen years of association life and his long, uninterrupted career as a captain have developed a deep understanding of all aspects of the industry, ranging from technical to human issues. He discusses this with SUPER YACHT 24, also previewing an important initiative.

Commander Irpino, what was the path that brought you to the helm of a yacht?

I'm the son of a captain and graduated from the nautical institute. My first shipboard experience, at 16, as a trainee, was on a merchant ship bound for South African ports. My first experience in pleasure boating, which continued for seven seasons, came working for the Honorable De Vito: it was there that my passion for this sector, both sailing and motorboats, was born. During that period, I worked for him in the summers and on merchant ships in the winters. Over the years, I deepened my knowledge of pleasure boating by joining the Gruppo dei Marittimi del Diporto (Portuguese Maritime Association), the historic Santa Margherita Ligure association A.Ma.Di, in 2005, becoming president of its branch in Campania, a position I held until 2019. I subsequently resumed my full-time work as a captain, particularly in the charter sector.

Why do you prefer the charter segment in your career as a captain?

I'm passionate about the charter world because its high turnover continually puts crews to the test. It's a sector where you must be able to welcome clients with great sensitivity, understanding of others, perspicacity, and compassion. This is because clients invest everything they can in their vacation, and it's right that they receive the highest quality service. To achieve these levels, you need to develop the ability to connect with people; therefore, a psychological approach is also necessary.

How has combining your active work as a commander with your commitment to the association helped you?

"During those years, I left long-range to fulfill my association commitments. I had a busy schedule: as a captain, I experienced the dynamics that unfold on board, and as an association leader, I addressed human and technical issues, which I helped with, trying to lend a helping hand to both individuals and members. Working within these complex environments was incredibly formative and allowed me to gather hundreds of pieces of feedback from sailors, charter company directors, and private shipowners.

Over the years, a collaborative and growing relationship has been established with the many collaborators on my crews. These will be the topics we will explore further in the coming months to meet the needs of the sector, and for this reason we will establish a new association."

What specific goals will this new association have?

"First and foremost, it's about re-establishing a unity of purpose between seafarers' representatives and the authorities. Since the launch of the first rules with the Navigation Code in 2005, seafarers have been passionate about this and eager to obtain an Italian professional qualification. But since then, Italy hasn't seen an open, linear process between the competent authorities such as the Ministry of Transport, trade associations, trade unions, and Confindustria Nautica. In other words, there hasn't been a consensus among these parties to promote the seafarers' professional career.

Even today, for example, there remains the obstacle that a charter yacht must have at least one navigation officer in command. To obtain this minimum qualification in Italy, one must take an exam accessible to those with a diploma from a Nautical Institute, or else meet the requirement of 36 months of navigation, some of which may be on pleasure vessels. The exam is therefore identical to the one required to become a captain of large coastal vessels, thus failing to consider the difference between the size of a yacht, even a large one, and a truly enormous merchant vessel. The result has been that, to date, a very large number of Italian seafarers have preferred to go to UK institutes, where the rules for obtaining the qualifications are more 'smart'.

What other issues do you think should be addressed as a priority?

We've witnessed a near-regression in implementing the provisions; at a time when we should have been discussing decrees and regulations and expressing our industry's needs at technical meetings, discussions were instead avoided. The same problem arose with yacht registrations: Italian owners, in this case too, preferred foreign countries, predominantly England. Similarly, we see small and very large yachts sailing in Italy purchased by private individuals or Italian companies that charter under foreign flags. This has resulted in a loss of money and credibility for our country.

Even though we are now the most recognized Italian shipyards in the world for the construction of pleasure boats, and even though, with Covid, we have shifted to an even greater use of yachts, even in terms of size, the presence of Italian seafarers on these types of vessels remains very limited. Conversely, the presence of seafarers from other nations coming to our territories has increased. So this market too is slipping out of our control. And the problem lies in the lack of healthy, appropriate, consistent, and accessible training in Italy. This is the real situation in Italy.”

With the recent reform that will modify Ministerial Decree 121/2005 on professional qualifications in pleasure boating, do you think there are good prospects?

The title of second-class officer—one step below that of navigation officer—has been announced. We've been eagerly awaiting it, as it's useful for working in charter companies operating short-distance coastal voyages within 12 miles, and is suitable for the many sailors qualified to command pleasure craft. The companies have welcomed this news with euphoria. It remains to be seen whether it will actually meet the needs. What it looks like is that we could move from the old requirement, which required extremely complicated training for driving small vessels, to one that, with an exam, could allow one to become the captain of a 35-45 meter vessel. We are therefore awaiting the decree and its implementing regulations.

What's needed, in my opinion, is a real shift in community action to address maritime concerns: we need to meet with those who make the rules to discuss what's needed, starting from what we have and what we can do."

What will your association plan on the subject of training?

"My experience has made me realize that the work done on board a pleasure craft isn't for everyone. It requires passion, knowledge of languages, history, and local areas, because in the chartering sector there is no external guidance; this is the role performed by the staff. Therefore, the crew must have a professional approach and a cultural level appropriate to the clientele. Our job is to welcome tourists who, when they arrive on board, find themselves in a completely new environment and must be listened to, guided, and advised. This is what's missing, and we must ask the relevant authorities to ensure crew training at this level. Therefore, we want to raise awareness, first and foremost, among the education sector, which currently operates according to outdated protocols."

What specifically should the Nautical Institute do to prepare young people for this career?

First of all, they should be introduced to the world of pleasure boating, which isn't happening. From my own experience, when I made the transition from merchant shipping to pleasure boating 35 years ago, I learned this new world and its demands firsthand, and I see that the situation remains the same today. Schools should accelerate the introduction of nautical subjects, explaining this world and its demands. Therefore, I believe—as an association—that it's useful to reach out to classrooms to raise awareness of this topic among young people.

Furthermore, while hundreds and hundreds of students graduate from the Naval Academy, ships are becoming larger and larger, and the number of automatic systems on merchant ships is increasing. For all these officer cadets who are predisposed to become captains, therefore, job openings are decreasing. This is especially true when, in fact, the nautical market, which isn't even considered, has a huge need for trained personnel who can offer great opportunities.”

Who will be part of your association and when will it begin its activities?

"I've been in this profession for many years, and I've had many young people with me, whom I've watched grow professionally and who represent a human capital that cannot be wasted. That's why we're working with them and other qualified colleagues to make our contribution to this company. We want to achieve high-level training for seafarers in all necessary aspects, particularly in hospitality. We'll be launching our activities in the next two to three months."

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE FREE SUPER YACHT 24 NEWSLETTER

Gennaro Irpino