Genoa boat show highlights sustainability, regulation and tax, with boosted attendance
The 65th Genoa International Boat Show closed yesterday (23 September 2025) with improved participation on last year. Over six days, the event drew 124,248 visitors, up 2.8 per cent on 2024, with more than 1,000 boats on display. Exhibitors included 23 new yards and companies from 45 countries.
The exhibition also hosted 123 new products, 96 of them world premieres. Alongside the displays, 132 conferences and events were staged, supported by the European Commission’s Forum25 programme. Sea trials proved particularly popular, with 4,050 outings carried out.
Show organisers report the show attracted strong media attention, with 1,245 accredited journalists, nearly 4,800 published articles, and more than 2.5m views of the show’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
The show hosted a series of events featuring in-depth discussions on the issues of sustainability, regulation and tax in the marine industry.
Sustainability and global trade
The second day of the Genoa International Boat Show featured a series of conferences on sustainability, competitiveness and regulation, organised by the Italian Marine Industry Association with international partners.
The European Sustainable Boating Roundtable, run with the European Boating Industry, examined “Resilient and sustainable growth amid global trade shifts”. Discussion centred on US protectionist policies, the EU’s role in maintaining competitiveness and how geopolitical tensions shape the sector.
European Commission executive vice president Raffaele Fitto, in a video message, highlighted the industry’s importance to tourism. Croatian MEP Željana Zovko underlined the need to simplify the single market, while Fabio Planamente, vice president of the Italian Marine Industry Association, argued that national strategies must align with European ones.
Other speakers included MEPs Brando Benifei and Letizia Moratti, Gabriele Giudice of the European Commission and Kotniz Group chief executive Sebastian Nietupski. Piero Formenti, president of the Italian Marine Industry Association, said: “We do not want a repetition of what happened recently in the automotive sector: learning from mistakes is crucial. The connection between the Commission and industry, especially with our representatives in Europe, must be strengthened. And this meeting, a moment of great confrontation, is in line with this objective.”
World Yachting Sustainability Forum
More than 120 delegates attended the fourth World Yachting Sustainability Forum, which focused on the European Ocean Pact. Commission officials Massimo Pronio and Karin Aschberger presented the pact’s six pillars, calling for boating to be recognised as part of the blue economy in its own right.
Filippo Gozzi of McKinsey & Company outlined research showing 79 per cent of buyers look for sustainable products, with younger customers driving the trend. A panel with Ferretti Group, Beneteau, Fountaine Pajot, Azimut-Benetti and designer Dan Lenard discussed propulsion, design and benchmarking. Lenard argued that the sector must abandon the “bigger, faster, heavier” approach in favour of lighter yachts with smaller engines.
The Italian Marine Industry Association also launched the ‘Sustainable Finance Lab’ with BPER Banca and RINA to support ecological transition. During the session, RINA presented general manager Marina Stella with a plaque renewing ISO 20121 Certification for the show. Stella said: “The Genoa International Boat Show acts as a catalyst for business development. It represents not only a moment to compare notes and take stock, but also an opportunity for SMEs to learn more about the culture of sustainability. We took our first steps on this path five years ago, within the delicate context of the pandemic, and we are proud to receive this confirmation from RINA and to be an example for our companies and for the supply chain as a whole.”
Competitiveness and regulation
A conference on ‘The competitiveness of the Italian flag – The future of the market between new regulations and new opportunities’ addressed fragmented rules, carbon leakage and barriers to chartering. Two roundtables explored possible simplifications and incentives for the maritime cluster. Another panel examined claims management, insurance and sanctions.
Elsewhere, ‘Ai in Boating: Responsibility, Tools and Strategies’, organised by ENAVE, looked at how artificial intelligence is being applied in design, onboard systems and data handling, as well as the legal responsibilities that follow.
Tax and customs
The annual ‘Boating, Tax and Customs’ session, organised with Gianni & Origoni, considered temporary admission for commercial yachts, customs guarantees and VAT triangulation.
Finance committee chair Marco Osnato opened the discussion, saying: “Too often the matter of our boating industry is absent in political debate, which is a pity because it is an industry that elevates the prestige of our nation and is an essential asset.”
Customs and Monopolies Agency director Claudio Oliverio announced a new circular on regimes and confirmed updated rules on guarantee exemptions. Francesca Vitale of the Italian Revenue Agency said work was underway on a new edition of Boating, Tax and Customs. Speakers, including Marco Frulio of Gianni & Origoni, Ezio Vannucci of Moores & Rowland Partners, Stefano Comisi of Armella & Associati and Walter Vigo of Unicredit, discussed competitiveness, compliance and leasing.
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