The Mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, presented the next edition of the Boat Show, an event that he has strongly supported and which, in its sixth edition, can demonstrate its maturity and its central value for recreational boating. The organisation has worked to create an event that not only highlights the innovations and trends in the sector but also promotes the work and ingenuity of the entire marine industry. A sector that is looking to the future and continues to innovate and invest in all segments, from large nautical groups to local artisans and tradespeople
The Mayor was joined by Ambassador Mario Vattani, the General Commissioner for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka. The show will be one of the main features of the upcoming events in the Italian Pavilion, which is themed “Water, the protagonist of everyday life“. Once again, a commitment to sustainability and protection of the sea that Venice intends to present in this showcase. Venice and Japan both make the sea part of their daily lives. The participation of the General Commissioner for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka is intended to highlight this strong and deep bond.
The Venice Boat Show will open its doors on 29 May and close on 2 June. The organisation is managed by Ve.La. S.p.A. on behalf of the Municipality of Venice, in collaboration with the Italian Navy. Along the quays of the Arsenale, 15 world premieres are scheduled to be on display. In Venice, there will be new designs, and it will be possible to appreciate the fusion of style and function between the motor and sailing segments, without forgetting the catamarans, which represent new conceptual evolutions in terms of onboard liveability. The combination of different worlds is one of the main themes, an open debate that this year is going to be reinforced and strengthened by the presence, of the 2025 Venice Biennale of Architecture, on the opposite side of the Darsena Grande area during the Boat Show.
The Venice Boat Show is an event of extraordinary importance for the nautical sector and a unique opportunity to strengthen dialogue and cooperation. Venice, with its millennial history linked to water and navigation, is the ideal place to promote innovation, sustainability and tradition, values that are central to the development of our city and of modern boating,” said the Mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro. “This event is not just a market, but above all a moment to exchange knowledge, expertise, work and attention to sustainability through in-depth discussions on the theme of the sea and how to preserve it. Thanks to the relationships built up over the years with all the key players in the sector, the fair has become much more than a showcase – it is a laboratory of ideas”.
Since its inception, the event has looked towards the East, towards the route that made Venice rich and that remains a thriving market. “The Venice Boat Show is one of the key features of the upcoming Expo 2025 Osaka, with a dedicated event included in the activity calendar of the Italy Pavilion,” said Ambassador Mario Vattani. “A partner to promote high technology and innovation in our engineering and Italian shipbuilding. With Venice, a city that has been a bridge between East and West for centuries, we are launching the promotion of Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka with a calendar full of activities and events: from a preview of the programme of the next 2025 Venice Biennale of Architecture to the Murano glass chandelier “DieXe” by Kengo Kuma, to the glass vases designed by Yoichi Ohira, and the installation of the Bucintoro granted by the Correr Museum. We are also bringing the great tradition of opera, ballet and symphonic music to Japan, thanks to the collaboration with the La Fenice Opera House, whose choir is scheduled to perform at the Festival Hall in Osaka on April 22.”
As always, the Boat Show will have a special focus on electric or hybrid propulsion for boats from 6 to 50 metres, with innovations covering traditional, electric and hydrogen engines. The show confirms its role as a catalyst for the transition to sustainable boating, highlighting increasingly reliable and technologically advanced vessels alongside leading companies in the production and distribution of hydrogen for the sector. The flagship of the event will be the 50-metre Almax, built by Sanlorenzo, a vessel that takes an important step towards sustainability, with Venice as its capital.
“With Venice, we feel a special and strong connection that keeps us active and involved in the initiatives of the city. We are founding members of Venice World Capital of Sustainability and promoters of the arts with Casa Sanlorenzo, a space dedicated to culture and the arts, which embodies the values of sustainability, innovation, and design, and will open its doors right after the Boat Show,” said Massimo Perotti, Executive Chairman of Sanlorenzo. “A commitment to sustainability is one of the key factors in the growth of Sanlorenzo, as demonstrated by our Road to 2030 strategic plan, and as pioneers in the field, we are constantly committed to developing new technologies. As proof of this, we will be presenting the 50Steel Almax, the first superyacht in the world to be equipped with a reformer fuel cell system capable of converting green methanol into hydrogen and then into electrical energy to power all the on-board hospitality facilities. Almax is the prelude to a new project, the bi-fuel 50 X-Space, developed in collaboration with MAN, which uses green methanol and aims to reduce emissions during navigation by up to 70%”.
The Ferretti Group, which has supported the Boat Show since its very first edition, will present the world premiere of the Pershing GTX 70 and the Ferretti Yachts 940. Alberto Galassi, the CEO of the Ferretti Group, stated: “The Venice Boat Show is our favourite place, we all feel great here: us, our boats, our clients, our friends. When you combine the most beautiful city in the world, its artistic and natural wonders, with the flawless organisation and extraordinary commitment of Mayor Brugnaro and the City Administration, the result is what we see every year: a Show that becomes more important with each edition, an unmissable event, knowing that photos of the boats in the splendour of the Arsenale will travel around the world in an instant. It is no coincidence that the Ferretti Group will be presenting two fantastic boats for the first time: Pershing GTX 70 and Ferretti Yachts 940. A famous Venetian, Giacomo Casanova, wrote that ‘reality depends on imagination’. I recommend everyone to visit the Boat Show to admire spectacular boats, the result of the imagination and craftsmanship of the great Italian nautical industry”.
The sailing sector is, as always, well represented, with shipyards based in the Adriatic leading the way. Among them is Solaris, founded in Northeast Italy, a region that is also home to many passionate owners who love sustainable sailing. “This year, Solaris returns to the Venice Boat Show in the monumental setting of the Arsenale, a perfect backdrop for our hulls, which embody the nautical tradition of the Northeast,” said Vice President Federico Gambini. “The Solaris shipyard was founded in Aquileia in 1974, an ancient gateway port to Italy. Today, Solaris is a group active in sailing and motor yachts from 12 to 33 metres with its brands: Solaris Yachts, Solaris Power, CNB, and Performance Boats. In Venice, we will be exhibiting our sailing and motor yachts and, in particular, a national premiere: the Solaris 55, which made its debut in Düsseldorf, and the Solaris 50, a real bestseller from the shipyard. The two motor yachts on display will be the Solaris Power 40 Open and the 60 Coupé, with their classic lines, surprising spaces and unrivalled seaworthiness.”
Fabrizio D’Oria, Operations Director of Ve.La. S.p.A. and the Venice Boat Show explained: “The active involvement of exhibitors, sponsors and partners is crucial to building an event that is not just an exhibition showcase, but also a real hub for exchange and economic growth. Thanks to the relationships we have built over the years with all the key players in the industry, we feel like an established reality with plenty of energy to keep growing. The Show is a place of connection and a strategic platform for building partnerships and developing projects that help enhance the nautical industry, the territory of Venice, and the ecosystem of the lagoon.”
Among the key sectors, there is strong growth in the RIB and Day Cruiser segment, where the excellence of the Italian industry stands out alongside the offerings of the major European shipyards, reflecting an increasingly refined and innovative production and manufacturing sector. An important return is the Wood Village, which has been expanded compared to previous editions. This area celebrates the art of master boatbuilders with an exceptional exhibition of wooden motorboats, paying tribute to tradition and the highest level of craftsmanship. A dedicated pontoon is set to showcase sailing boats, with a wide range of models, including sailing and motor catamarans, many of which are hybrid or fully electric. These models reflect a growing trend, offering solutions that combine sustainability and on-board liveability, redefining the boating experience.
The event also features an important area dedicated to water sports and entertainment, with practical demonstrations and innovative products such as surfboards, foils and paddleboards, designed for a dynamic and enthusiastic public. More than 30,000 visitors visited the last edition. More than 300 boats, including 240 in the water, among the most innovative and technologically advanced, were moored along the quays of the Darsena Grande and the special pontoons, with a total length of 1,100 metres.
“The commercial development of the Show follows a targeted strategy aimed at enhancing the quality and diversity of the services offered, with a particular focus on technological innovation solutions and environmental sustainability,” said Alberto Bozzo, Commercial Director of the Boat Show. “The Venice Boat Show therefore aims to establish itself as a key event, celebrating the excellence of the naval industry and promoting dialogue between tradition, innovation, and sustainability.”
Among the supporters of the show is Agenzia ICE, which every year provides assistance in attracting international journalists and industry professionals. Matteo Zoppas, President of Agenzia ICE, said: “The Venice Boat Show confirms itself as a key event for Made in Italy boating and an excellent promotional platform for our country. Despite a complex global context, in which sector exports reached €7.1 billion between January and November 2024, representing a decline of 11%, Italy remains the global leader in superyacht production (over 24 metres), holding more than 50% of the market. Agenzia ICE, in collaboration with Sace, Simest, and Cdp, continues to support companies in their growth and internationalisation. The Venice Boat Show is therefore both a visibility opportunity and an important meeting point to showcase the excellence of the Made in Italy boating sector.”
The collaboration of the Italian Navy is essential, as Rear Admiral Domenico Guglielmi, Commandant of the Institute of Naval Military Studies and the Military Garrison of Venice, who said: “For this sixth edition, the Italian Navy is once again at the side of the City of Venice in the organisation of this important event, with a vision of inter-institutional synergy and the enhancement of the magnificent Arsenal site that has been entrusted to it. The support of the Italian Navy to the City for the organisation of the Boat Show is based on the same spirit with which the training ship Amerigo Vespucci has supported other government departments and “Made in Italy” initiatives during its voyage around the world.”
The Chamber of Commerce of Venice Rovigo also plays an important role in the success of the event. Massimo Zanon, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Venice Rovigo, stated: “Our Chamber of Commerce supports the Venice Boat Show with great interest, as it is important for the nautical sector, the city of Venice, and our territories. What is particularly significant,” he continued, “is the ability to engage a wide and diverse range of interests—from the technical and economic leaders of the industry, through the many enthusiasts involved in various ways, and, remarkably, even the ‘curious visitor,’ a person who loves of the sea and everything beautiful.”
