Pappalardo (Genoa Marina): "Moorings up to 150 meters, more powerful charging stations, and hydrogen"

This service was published as a preview in issue 4-2025 of the Yacht Upstream supplement available at this link

Marina Genova is a strategic hub for large-scale yachting in the Mediterranean, offering high-quality services, growing infrastructure, a focus on sustainability, and management that aims to create a network with local agencies and refit yards. CEO Giuseppe Pappalardo discusses upcoming developments with SUPER YACHT 24.

What are the main innovations for the future?

"We're paying increasing attention to moorings over 80 meters, which we're seeing increasing demand for. This means, especially in terms of electricity supplies, having higher-performance charging stations. We've already installed the first 1.200 Ah charging station on land, and we envision expanding to 1.800 Ah in the near future. As for moorings, there's not much we can do other than move toward larger sizes: currently, we can reach up to 130 meters, and we're already imagining expanding to 140-150 meters."

How do you address the issue of sustainability?

We're working on hydrogen distribution, which doesn't mean waiting for new hybrid yachts; it's not that easy to replace this type of propulsion. However, we'll be ready to welcome them when they arrive, and some experimental examples already exist, thanks in part to the America's Cup. Our goal is to help captains, yacht managers, and owners understand the value of having hydrogen-powered electric tenders. The performance of small electric motors is increasing, which is why we're equipping ourselves with rapid charging stations that will be available next season.

Because it's important?

Navigation regulations no longer allow sailing with traditional engines in certain areas. This is why we're running an awareness campaign: change doesn't always mean radical changes, but also small, practical choices that can be implemented immediately. And today, having an electric-powered tender is useful and necessary to allow guests to access certain areas and go ashore.

Could navies strengthen their service offerings?

We've never limited ourselves to simply being a mooring operator; we've always interpreted the needs of the vessel. From the very beginning, we've focused on large-scale yachting, and when we opened in 2007, we already had a storyboard of all possible services ready, thanks in part to the advice of those with years of experience working with superyachts. We offer all the services a vessel needs: technical, technological, logistical, and tourism-related. But we don't intend to duplicate the services of agencies. A marina functions best when it has multiple agencies present, each with its own clients. There's no competition, just a system.

Agencies are sometimes criticized for being too expensive.

"That's true, but it's often based on the cost of the documents issued by the Port Authority alone, which may seem excessive if that's one of the few services offered. However, if agencies offer a broader range of services, which the captain values ​​more, they can be more competitive: the cost of the document is "diluted" across everything else the ship receives."

How are you organized for the winter period?

"In the summer, we host clients in transit; in the winter, the same ships wait to enter nearby shipyards. Since we can't operate shipyards, we promote the Genoese shipyards and activate the local network. In the winter, we dedicate ourselves to the lives of the crews: we created the Superyacht Marina Village and the "We Love Crew" program, with sports, cultural, and leisure activities, to make them feel at home. The better they feel, the more they ask to stay."

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