Saim sets its sights on providing sustainable solutions
MIN visits Marco Donà, CEO of Saim (pictured above), to discuss how the company’s providing solutions to boatbuilders’ needs – including automatically managing different power sources and the potential of startups to change yachting.
Saim’s been on a development journey since it was set-up in 1951 (and became Saim Marine in 1993).
“Small boat builders needed structured companies to support them,” says Donà of its original premise, but now the company’s focused on providing solutions – like increasing overall sustainability – rather than isolated product development.
“Boatbuilders really need this approach,” he says. “Think about the Metstrade – it’s just three days, it’s huge, and they probably have only two days to visit.
“They likely see only one-tenth or less of the booths because they stop, chat, and have drinks. They have no time to look around for new releases, or new products.
“And this is the chance we have, to be more and more proactive.”
Investment and strategic solutions for sustainability
Thus Saim’s investing heavily in R&D and engineering to develop integrated systems that manage different power sources for more sustainable boating.
“We are developing our own solutions, which include electronics, mainly focused on power supply onboard.
“The market, boatbuilders, are asking for different solutions beyond just generators – fuel cells, batteries, solar, hydro generators – anything that can help in diversifying and making boats more sustainable.”
This is in part driven by the public asking for sustainability helped along by the changing nature of boat ownership – with movement towards charter.
“While in the past the boat owner was typically somebody passionate about the sea, passionate about sailing, today they aren’t. It’s a natural evolution. The end user of a charter boat just wants to use and enjoy a boat.
“They don’t care about what’s in the engine room, but they want to know that it’s green. They don’t want to see a drop of oil in the water – and that’s right.
“Young people now are really thinking sustainability. We need to follow them.”
Managing boat power systems automatically
With this in mind, Saim’s developed and is finessing a system which automatically manages different power sources.
It’s called OMPS Seamless Integration and is based on the automatic paralleling system included on any Kohler (now Rehlko) marine generators and manages paralleling between generators and the shore power (OPMS), a battery pack (OPMS Evo) and more power sources such as solar panels (OPMS Power) or fuel cells. The switch between different power sources will be made automatically and seamlessly, Donà says.
OPMS has been already released (and installed on some yachts) in its basic version. An ‘evo’ module has been released and tested, and the complete ‘power’ module is currently being worked upon to – hopefully – be seen at Cannes Yachting Festival.
“And for the same reason [sustainability], we are developing a range of DPF (diesel particulate filter) and different kinds of filters for the exhaust.
“We have a close partnership with Exilator, a Danish company which has developed an incredibly efficient anti-particulate filter at a very reasonable price. Our new project is a DOP filter integrated in the generator exhaust which will reduce the unburned fuel and exhaust noise.”
Underpinning startups in the marine world
As well as developing these sustainable pathways, Donà looks to, and supports, startups.
He cites partnering with Anchor Guardian. The startup received a special mention in 2023’s DAME Awards in the security and safety aboard category.
And another startup is developing state-of-the-art supercapacitors entirely in its European premises.
“They can embed small supercaps in carbon fibre or in fibreglass layers, automatically having huge capacity stored in the fibreglass.
“The negotiations are still underway and will be completed next September. The product is interesting because it is 100 per cent developed in EU, it is modular and can be of any shape and size.
“We’re fascinated by these new technologies young people are developing, and we absolutely want to bring them to the market if we see potential.”
“We’re not a catalogue company,” says Donà, “we’re very technically focused. We are in touch with the boatbuilders. We know that they are looking for.”
Market picking-up for boats up to 70ft
That confidence in the future spills over. Donà believes that the small boat market’s downturn is reaching the bottom.
“The marine market has always been in cycles, so we are in the downturn and approaching the bottom line. I think in 2026 we’ll be able to see new orders coming in and the market picking up again for boats up to about 70 ft.
“For yachts above 90 ft, the market is still quite stable – not going up, but not really going down. There might be some troubles in the next few months because of what’s happening around the world.
“A 30-40 metre yacht is independent from speculation, not affected by the stock exchange market in the short term. The owner typically has the money to go through the project and finalise it, so it’s not affected by the natural cycle of the market.”
More about Saim
SAIM’s grown strategically over the years – including launching its own range of thrusters in 2014 manufactured by Quick (and now sold all over the world), and its 2022 acquisition of Atlantic Marine Power (a fortuitous move indeed as this means manufacturing can be set up in USA if needed).
With customers such as Azimut, Ferretti and SanLorenzo, it’s now bringing an annual turnover of around €50million.
And, while 47 per cent of SAIM’s turnover is in marine, it’s launching a hybrid industrial engine for green homes, agricultural machines, mines and any other businesses looking for zero emissions. The company employs 68 in its 9,000 square metres headquarters and facilities in Milan. Hydraulics are made in Bolgnoa, there’s a showroom in Viareggio and Saim boasts 90 service dealers plus 26 parts dealers. SAIM Marine also distributes Kohler Energy’s range of marine generators in Italy under its new name Rehlko. The company’s catalogue is available online.
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