Captains from Ancona appeal: "Proactive young people on board and improved crew services."

(at this link all the images of the event)

Ancona – Industry, innovation, technology, and services in a region, the Adriatic District, where the nautical industry has grown faster than on the other side of the peninsula, in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Captains play an important role in the supply chain, wherever it is located, from the component manufacturer to the shipyard, to the owner. They are the ones who must utilize the latest technological advances on board. And, as often happens in these cases, when innovation is discussed, the need for training is acute.

Training for the captains of today and tomorrow. Students from the ITS Academy "Yacht Specialist" also attended the 6th SUPER YACHT 24 Forum at the Teatro delle Muse in Ancona. Norberto Ferretti also addressed them in his speech ("I advise young people who want to become yacht designers to sacrifice a few summers to go sailing").

Captain Gabriele Carniglia of A.Ma.Di (Recreational Maritime Association) also spoke about young people. "We captains," Carniglia said, "are the custodians of the ultimate asset, which we must maintain in the best possible condition for safety. Above all, we are the ones who must ensure that shipowners experience the comfort they paid for and for which they have grown passionate. It's clear that innovation is important, as we are increasingly driven to have more options on board, and these companies demonstrate this. However, we desperately need training, especially as crew, and generational exchange. What this industry lacks, as I see from the industries and shipyards as well, are young people who are involved in this new industry."

The industry has actually already taken steps in this direction: "As a recreational boating association," explained Commander Carniglia, "we've joined forces to talk to the authorities to develop a structured program for these young people graduating from schools, especially those with a nautical focus, to help them understand what goes into a yacht. It may seem absurd, but this is often overlooked."

Commander Carniglia, in particular, is in charge of a young crew. "We, on our boat, have focused heavily on young people, in the sense that we are 50/50: four people with some experience and four young people who are under 25. We are absolutely available to teach; we have tried to find people with a great aptitude, but also a desire to learn. Something that is increasingly less noticeable, and I say this with great regret because I am the father of a teenager, is that these young people who are a little bored with life are less and less inclined to be passionate. Then, of course, there are those who do. However, in my opinion, it must start from the beginning, from schools, from what is passed on to them, from their passions, even from their professors, and above all, from their journey as young students, where they begin to venture into the world of work, it must be unified with the companies themselves. The young people must understand what their true aptitudes are: those who are passionate about furniture, rather than fashion, carpentry, everything that comes with it, including sailing. It takes passion. in sailing”.

The various seafarers' and captains' associations are uniting "to try to speak with one voice to the administrations," Carniglia added, "which must create clear pathways to allow these young people to transition out of school, into the world of work, and gradually acquire professional qualifications to become maritime professionals. What is increasingly required of us is to be the custodians of the most luxurious goods, perhaps the most luxurious. What is often underestimated is the value of the people we bring on board, who are accustomed to enjoying the utmost luxury; we must be trained to maintain the highest safety standards. This is what we too would like to ask of this extraordinary association that was created here in the Adriatic, which communicates with the institutions."

Every day's work requires a generational leap. "I'm analog," Carniglia admitted. "For me, it's absolutely an added value to have young people with a digital mindset. Nowadays, all the interfaces we have on board are digital. I need someone on the bridge who can help me or at least support me in this regard. The importance of young people must be activated, and this activation must happen while they still have time on their side, to figure out which path to take. And we must try to help them in this regard: parents, teachers, and their first work experiences."

Finally, a piece of advice from the commander to young people. "When I meet kids or speak to them in schools, I always tell them, 'Try to steal,' because not everyone has this attitude of giving. But, from my point of view, it's absolutely stupid not to do so."

Even when it comes to ports, the key link between the marina and the yacht is the captain. Captain Francesco Schiano di Tunnariello of the Italian Yacht Masters association offered a few "scrubs," addressing data indicating a decline in sales of 10- to 20-meter vessels. He said, "The market for ribs and tenders is growing. Today's tender for megayachts is a 10- to 20-meter vessel, and we often have difficulty finding moorings for tenders in marinas. There's a lack of logistical facilities to accommodate crews and people. It needs to be a permanent facility, even in winter, not just to accommodate 100-meter vessels, but to accommodate everyone, offering a wide range of accommodations and incentives. I'll give you the example of Cala del Forte, in Ventimiglia, where the port of Monaco had to be activated to launch it, and three years after opening, it's full. But these boats operate at a different pace."

The needs of a yacht arriving in port are different. "When we go to a marina," said Captain Schiano di Tunnariello, "we need to be welcomed and provided with everything we might need beyond mooring, from spare parts to a service to take the client inland for a food and wine experience. I've lived in the Adriatic for forty years, and now I'm living in Molise, and even there they've told me there are difficulties. The yachting industry here in the Adriatic has grown tremendously. We need to improve the welcome we give to crews. We're used to taking care of the boat from hull to finish. For two years, I've been frequenting Termoli, 900 kilometers from where I live, in Sanremo. We need to improve the infrastructure and the welcome we give to crews. Often, foreign crews lack the adaptability and flexibility that we Italians have and don't want to come and look after a boat in a shipyard so far away, and perhaps they risk deciding to take it to other locations closer to them."

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Francesco Schiano of Tunnariello

Gabriele Carniglia