The 65th Salone Nautico Internazionale di Genova, one of the world’s largest boat shows, convened on September 23.
The gathering transformed the Levante Waterfront into the center of the global boating industry. With more than a thousand vessels on display — from towering super yachts to nimble RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) — the show offered a full spectrum of nautical innovation. Here are ten of the standout models to make waves this year.
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1. Azimut Grande 30M
Milan based, Azimut/Benetti unveiled the world premiere of the “low-emissions” 30-meter (98 foot) super yacht boasted 30 percent fuel savings. The sleek exterior was designed by Alberto Mancini while the interiors were designed by Achille Salvagni.
2. Azimut Fly 82
The flagship of Azimut’s Fly line debuted in Genoa with the clever “Deck2Deck” terrace system, blurring indoor and outdoor living.
https://azimutyachts.com/en/grande-series/grande-30m/
3. Ferretti Yachts 800
Headquartered in Forli, Italy, the Ferretti Group displayed the latest in the 80-foot class, a yacht to blend performance with expansive comfort. https://www.ferretti-yachts.com
4. Riva 58’ Capri
From Bergamo, Riva returned with the 58’ Capri, a modern classic with lacquered mahogany and chrome detailing. The design is reminiscent of the golden era of yachting.
5. Pershing GTX70
The Marche based company premiered their GTX70 vessel. The boat is synonymous with speed, aggression, and style.
https://www.pershing-yacht.com
6. Itama 54
Sporty, elegant, and quintessentially Italian, the Itama 54—from Feretti—combines open-air exhilaration with refined comfort. A boat that connects past heritage with modern speed.
7. Fountaine Pajot New 44
From Le Rochelle, France, the Fountaine Pajot’s New 44 catamaran came with solar panels, hybrid propulsion options, and voluminous living spaces to redefine family cruising.
https://www.fountaine-pajot.com
8. Dufour 48
Making its Genoa debut, this Dufour model balances competitive sailing with blue-water cruising comfort. Its wide beam and redesigned cockpit are drawing sailors in droves.
9. Aquila 50 Yacht
Fresh from Cannes, Aquila’s 50-footer showcases the rise of luxury power catamarans. It blends performance with stability, offering generous space without sacrificing speed.
10. High-Performance RIBs in the Super Boat Area
The Super Boat Area is buzzed with RIBs over 10 meters, built for speed and fun. Italian builders dominate this segment, showing off models that double as tenders for super yachts or independent thrill machines for coastal cruising.
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Levante Waterfront — Genoa’s New Maritime Face
For centuries, Genoa’s seafront was a working port: gritty shipyards, docks, and the sprawling exhibition halls of the old Fiera di Genova fairgrounds. By the early 2000s, the location was outdated. Genoa needed a new maritime front — one to celebrate the city’s nautical heritage as a stage for Italy’s booming yachting industry.
Enter Renzo Piano
The Genoa-born architect, world-renowned for the Pompidou Center in Paris and the Shard in London, returned home with a masterplan. Piano envisioned an eastern waterfront — the “Levante Waterfront” — to open the city back to the sea. His design stripped away the concrete bulk of the fairgrounds, replaced with open quays, new promenades, and sleek exhibition pavilions to blend with the harbor.
New docks and floating pontoons give direct access to the Ligurian Sea, allowing exhibitors to stage sea trials within minutes. Catamarans, RIBs, and super yachts are given purpose-built berths for the world’s most diverse boat show.
In Italian, Levante means “east” — a geographic marker, but also a nod to Genoa’s centuries-old orientation toward Mediterranean trade routes. The name captures both direction and destiny: Genoa looking eastward, outward, to the sea. Today, the Levante Waterfront stands not just as an exhibition space, but as a symbol of Genoa’s maritime future.
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Italy Builds, Greece Sails
Two Mediterranean powers, two very different strengths.
In the global boating industry, Italy sits firmly at the top of the shipbuilding charts. Italian yards produce nearly half of all superyachts in the world and dominate exports of pleasure craft. Names like Azimut, Ferretti, Sanlorenzo, and Riva are synonymous with design flair, cutting-edge technology, and luxury. Italy doesn’t just build—the country sets the global standard for the boating industry.
Greece, on the other hand, plays a different role. Greek shipyards produce only a fraction of the yachts behind the three big players: Italy #1, the Netherlands #2, and Turkey #3.
Where Greece commands? Chartering. Thousands of sailing yachts, catamarans, and motor yachts are available for hire in Greece. The Aegean and Ionian islands are a magnet for charter clients worldwide. Greece’s maritime tradition remains one of the world’s greatest. Yet, the focus today is in operating and hosting boats rather than building them.
Italy and Greece highlight the two poles of the Mediterranean yachting economy: Italy crafts the vessels, Greece provides the stage.
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