Viareggio is set to play host to hundreds of captains in two weeks’ time as they join Navigo’s 14th edition of the Yachting Aftersales & Refit Experience (YARE) and The Superyacht Captains Forum from 13 to 15 March. With a myriad of interesting keynotes and interactive workshops in store across the events, we take a look at some of the highlights from YARE’s insightful programme and the key features of The Superyacht Captains Forum.

On 13 March, a selected group of international Captains will touch down in the beautiful Tuscan Yachting District to join YARE’s district tours, which will showcase the area’s shipyards and facilitate informal meetings with shipyard executives and project managers. This will be followed by some fine Tuscan dining at the welcome dinner in the evening.

The Superyacht Captains Forum kicks off the following morning at 09:00 with a welcome address from Navigo and our regional partners. After this, we host a keynote on the current state of the superyacht market and address some of the hot topics currently relating to the industry.

A YARE debate shortly follows this, featuring a panel discussion and debate that explores how we can upgrade and future proof the vast network of yachts that still operate with conventional diesel engines and fuel. Panellists will discuss how energy consumption and systems can be improved to ultimately make a significant reduction of our fleet’s carbon impact.

Following a short coffee break another panel of industry experts will take to the floor to dissect the future of Mediterranean. With the changing landscape of marinas and cruising regions of both the eastern and western Mediterranean, industry leaders will discuss how the market is shifting and what impact new cruising grounds and strategies outside of the region will have on the industry.

In the afternoon, YARE will host a B2C Meet the Captains conference, the first instalment of two half-day sessions dedicated to the business operations between companies and captains. Delegates with have the choice from 15 meetings, managed through YARE’s app, which provides matchmaking tailored to their preferred target.

The day ends with the glamourous Networking Gala Dinner, which is a bright opportunity for all participants to mingle and enjoy entertainment, food and music amongst the exceptional scenery.

On the final day, we begin with the second segment of YARE’s Meet the Captains conference, which is then followed by The Superyacht Captains Forum’s workshop sessions: The Captains’ Brainstorms. Here companies, partners and experts join each room and participate in a Focus Group/brainstorming session that is designed to answer a specific question. Each room will have a moderator and a series of experts driving the conversation, to create a tangible output for the question and a series of ideas that can be presented to the entire group later on.

1: People – How do we attract and retain better people?

It is very clear that both ashore and afloat, the industry is likely to witness a significant shortage of quality candidates and enough human capital for the future. This Focus Group is designed to discuss and explore potential strategies for the industry to develop, what models to implement and outreach programmes.

We need clear opportunities to engage the next generation and to do that we must first identify what, who and how many we need in order to engage schools, universities and other industries to attract the right people over the next decade.

2: Projects – How do we plan and manage better refit projects?

We are forecasting major growth in the refit sector over the next 10 years, not only due to the market’s growth but also the demand for rebuilding and repurposing the current fleet, applying future-proof technologies and smart ideas. This will put a huge strain on the refit infrastructure and shipyard supply chain.

Collectively, we must investigate a better way to allocate resources and shipyard capacity. In addition, we need to explore smarter ways of working with yacht managers and captains to secure capacity and book refit projects effectively, assigning enough time to manage the project with the right resources and people in place.

3: Process – How do we create a better tendering and contract process in refits?

From a legal and planning perspective, we have often discussed the issue of intelligent comparisons of tendering refit projects, getting the project to contract and then delivering on time according to the contract. Here, we can discuss how we can improve the tendering process and what it takes to build a smart, efficient and intelligent contract that works for all parties – owner, captain, shipyard and supply chain.

4: Planet – How do we reduce our impact by future proofing the fleet?

We have a large fleet of existing yachts and yachts currently in build that are still applying conventional energy sources and have high fossil fuel dependency. However, there is a real opportunity to build a strategy to upgrade and optimise this fleet by integrating future thinking technology and replacing convention with next-gen systems.

Our biggest challenge and mission for the future is to map out how we can rethink and reduce the fleet’s impact by integrating new systems, thinking and fuels. Together, we must set targets and objectives to reduce our impact and illustrate what this reduction looks like and in turn, highlight how the refit and rebuild market is making a difference with tangible results.

Delegates are welcome to enjoy a coffee and a chat on their respective sessions before we congregate together and integrate the findings of the focus groups. Each moderator will identify two key people to join them in creating a brief explanation and presentation on what their Brainstorm team has generated as real answers and recommendations to tackle the question.

The Passerelle Pitch marks the final session of the Forum, where companies that have created, launched or conceived an intelligent innovation, product or service designed to improve life on board and daily operations in 180-second pitches. The winning company, as voted by the audience, will receive the YARE Innovation Award and a €5,000 marketing bonus with The Superyacht Group. The registration deadline is Friday, March 8th and interested parties can apply here.

As the Superyacht Captains Forum concludes, YARE will host the unmissable Captains’ Night, offering captains and companies a networking opportunity in opulent surroundings. With abundant chances to connect, learn, and shape discussions propelling the industry forward, YARE and The Superyacht Captains Forum are primed for three days of impactful engagement.

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