Iyea, the association of Italian yachting chief engineers, is born.

Founded in February 2026, the Italian Yacht Engineers Association (IYEA) brings together engineering and management professionals in the pleasure boating and yachting sectors. It is an independent, apolitical, and non-profit cultural association. The initiative was created to enhance the professional profile of Italian chief engineers and promote greater collaboration among industry professionals.

In a statement, Iyea clarifies that it does not engage in recruitment or labor brokerage activities, focusing its efforts on enhancing the professional, technical, and educational quality of the profession and on upholding the standards of Italian maritime qualifications. Among the activities outlined by the association is the sharing of professional information among its members. In this regard, an internal "blacklist" is maintained for vessels with contractual issues or prior work experience deemed problematic by network members, with the stated purpose of professional protection. The association also emphasizes that its members have access to a support network of other industry professionals, available for technical advice and operational assistance.

Admission as a professional member is reserved for officers and chief engineers holding maritime professional qualifications issued by Italian authorities. Qualifications issued by foreign authorities are excluded to ensure the integrity and excellence of national standards. The bylaws also provide for the participation of academia students, naval engineers, and nautical institute teachers in the categories of student and honorary members. The board of directors is composed of Marco Bertacca (president), Fabio Della Pina (vice-president), Nicola Simonini (secretary-treasurer), Nicola Tonini, Fabrizio Bendinelli, Marino Ferraccini, and Davide Staltari.

SUPER YACHT 24 interviewed Marco Bertacca, president of the association.

Italy builds many of the world's leading superyachts. Why do you think foreign chief engineers are still so common on board?

This is the great paradox of our industry, but the answer shouldn't be found in the shipyards, but in the commercial and decision-making process that kicks in immediately after the purchase of a superyacht. The mechanism is very clear and is driven by three main factors: the decision-making process and the role of managers; the 'trusted' customer base; and the lack of Italian management players. Italian shipyards build technological masterpieces, but they don't choose who will manage them. Often, the construction is overseen and then managed on behalf of the owner by yacht management companies. The vast majority of multinational management companies have historically been based abroad, particularly in the United Kingdom or in Anglo-Saxon hubs. These foreign management companies have their own consolidated and preferred networks. When they need to outfit a vessel, they naturally draw on their own pool of captains and chief engineers, sponsoring and promoting professionals from their own sphere or nationality. The shipyards, despite producing excellence, unfortunately have no say in this phase. The real determining factor It's geopolitical and commercial: currently, there aren't enough Italian yacht management companies large enough to compete for major international mandates and manage the significant commissions of foreign owners. And this is precisely where Iyea's mission comes in. Until now, Italian chief engineers have approached this global market alone, as individuals, often ending up crushed by the weight of these highly organized international networks. Today, by presenting ourselves as a united association, we are no longer isolated professionals: we are a team, a brand of Italian maritime excellence. We want major international managers and captains to know that choosing an Italian chief engineer means choosing a quality standard and a technical support network that is unmatched in the world.

What are the most frequent difficulties encountered by an Italian chief engineer during his yachting career today?

The difficulties are not related to technical expertise, which is indeed recognized everywhere as excellent, but to the structural dynamics of the yachting market. We can summarize them in three main challenges: professional isolation and solitude, the competitive devaluation of Italian qualifications, and the lack of market transparency (the "wrong boat" risk). Historically, the Italian chief engineer in this sector has always been a "free agent." When faced with a complex breakdown, an automation problem, or an emergency technical decision, he is often completely alone. He lacks a structure or a technical network to rely on in real time, unlike other foreign colleagues who operate within much more corporate supply chains. Although Italian maritime professional qualifications (issued in accordance with the very strict international STCW/IMO standards) require an extremely selective training and navigation path, top foreign managers tend to prefer Anglo-Saxon certifications (such as the British MCA). This creates a barrier to entry. "Unfair, often forcing our professionals to work twice as hard to prove their worth. Yachting is a fascinating world, but it hides many pitfalls. Until now, a chief engineer accepting a shipboard assignment had no way of verifying the vessel's true history: the punctuality of payments, the actual state of maintenance of the engine room, or the reliability of the owner and the command. The risk of ending up working in problematic or opaque environments has always been very high."

Onboard technology has changed significantly in recent years. How has the chief engineer's job evolved, and what skills are becoming essential?

The role of the chief engineer has undergone a radical transformation, moving from a purely mechanical role to a true manager of complex, integrated systems. Today, the engine rooms of modern superyachts are highly digitalized technological powerhouses. Certain skills have therefore become absolutely indispensable. Naval automation and complex systems management: simply knowing how to repair a single component is no longer enough; today, it is essential to know how to manage the advanced electronics, sensors, and onboard software that govern the entire vessel. Green propulsion technologies: the evolution towards hybrid and electric propulsion systems and low environmental impact solutions requires completely new technical and regulatory preparation. IT skills and cybersecurity: remote diagnostics and system interconnection require the chief engineer to be able to navigate data networks and onboard IT infrastructures with ease. Precisely for this reason, one of Iyea's key objectives is to promote continuous training and the exchange of best practices among colleagues. Technology is advancing rapidly, and teamwork is the only way to share the most advanced technical solutions, ensuring that chief engineers Italians remain the absolute point of reference in the world market".

Is the current training already adequate for this evolution or is there still a gap to be filled?

The honest answer is that there is still a significant gap to be filled. Italian institutional maritime training is extraordinary in providing a solid foundation in engineering and safety, but the technological evolution of superyachts is advancing at a pace that traditional curriculums struggle to keep up with. Today, the main challenges lie on two fronts. Static curricula versus rapid innovation: Hybrid and electric propulsion systems require skills ranging from mechatronics to advanced computer engineering. Officers often find themselves managing complex software and automation for which they have no specific training. Patchy access to OEM courses: Very often, the only way to train on these latest-generation systems is to attend private courses organized directly by the machinery manufacturers, courses that individual professionals cannot always easily access.

How will the internal blacklist work, and what criteria will you use to evaluate and verify reports received from members?

I want to make a fundamental premise: the Iyea is not, and in no way intends to be, a union of engineers. Our 'blacklist' is not a tool for union struggle, but simply the modern, digital, and structured evolution of the classic word-of-mouth that has always existed at sea. In this industry, we all know each other: if a boat, an owner, a captain, or a chief engineer are not trustworthy, it becomes known immediately. The difference is that today we no longer rely on the volatile memory of individuals; we collect this information among members, verify it, and capitalize on it for the future, so as not to forget it. This system, however, is extremely strict and works both ways. In yachting, it takes years to build a reputation, but it only takes a moment to ruin it. We care deeply about our image as elite professionals; for this reason, if one of our directors misbehaves on board and makes the association look bad, he himself is blacklisted and expelled. We do not defend the profession. Regardless: we only defend excellence, transparency and professionalism."

What concrete contribution can an association like Iyea make aboard a yacht, beyond the professional growth of individual members?

The concrete contribution can be summed up in a very simple formula: whoever brings a chief engineer on board, hires a professional; whoever brings a director from our association on board, brings a certified professional and an entire naval engineering team behind him. Beyond the growth of individual members, Iyea offers captains and shipowners two immediate operational and commercial advantages. The first is the seal of guarantee (background check): before being admitted to the association, each of our directors undergoes a rigorous background, career, and professional qualifications verification process, managed directly by us and other historical associations connected to us. For those who hire, this means zero selection risks: the Iyea brand is synonymous with an elite professional already extensively referenced, transparent, and verified. The second is the collective strength against ship downtime: The real revolution on board is the elimination of technical isolation. If an Iyea director finds himself facing a complex failure, an automation problem, or an extraordinary technical challenge in the middle of the ocean, he is never alone. Behind him is an entire team. a collective of top industry experts always ready to brainstorm remotely, share immediate solutions, and support in real time.”

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