The 5th Edition of the Sardinia Boat Show Officially Opens

The fifth edition of the Sardinia Boat Show officially opened today at the Marina di Porto Rotondo. The event, running until Sunday, May 10, began with the traditional blessing ceremony followed by the official ribbon-cutting led by Livio Fideli, President of CIPNES Gallura.

Following the opening ceremony, institutions and industry operators gathered in the Talk Area for the inaugural conference, moderated by Mediaset journalist Roberta Floris. The panel featured Emanuele Cani, Regional Councillor for Industry of the Regione Sardegna; Livio Fideli, President of CIPNES Gallura; Giuseppe Meloni, Vice President of the Regione Sardegna; Simone Morelli, representative of Confindustria Nautica Nazionale; and Settimo Nizzi, Mayor of the Municipality of Olbia.

Opening the discussion, Livio Fideli highlighted the growth of the event and the progressive evolution of the fair’s strategic focus: from a predominantly tourism-oriented event to an international platform dedicated to the boating industry, at the core of the three-year internationalization plan for Sardinia’s nautical supply chains developed together with the Regione Autonoma della Sardegna.

During his speech, Fideli also referred to data on export growth and the increase in superyacht presence in Gallura, produced by the CIPNES Gallura/UniOlbia Research Center, alongside themes related to environmental sustainability and professional education. Attention was also given to the work carried out by CIPNES Gallura and its Territorial Development Agency in supporting investment processes, attracting national and international operators, and creating new professional opportunities.

The Mayor of Olbia, Settimo Nizzi, underlined the value of the collaboration between institutions and stakeholders who believed in the Sardinia Boat Show project, also emphasizing the importance of the work carried out on the bureaucratic and administrative front, considered a key factor for the success of the regional boating development plan.

This was followed by Simone Morelli, who highlighted the positive figures related to the growth of Italian boating exports and production, focusing on the role of shipbuilding and on the opportunities linked to the extension of the tourism season.

Regional Councillor for Industry Emanuele Cani emphasized the strong synergy between the entities involved in the internationalization plan, underlining how the fair has now moved beyond an exclusively local dimension to acquire a regional scope and a clear international outlook. Among the strategic objectives mentioned was also the strengthening of territorial infrastructure supporting the boating sector.

Closing the institutional speeches was Vice President of the Regione Sardegna Giuseppe Meloni, who conveyed greetings on behalf of President Alessandra Todde and reaffirmed the Region’s support for the growth path of the fair and the entire production system connected to the blue economy. Meloni also highlighted the strategic importance of education and the new training pathways dedicated to young professionals in the sector, recently presented during the Milan Design Week.

The Sardinia Boat Show will continue with a packed schedule of meetings and discussions dedicated to innovation, sustainability, research, and the development of Sardinia’s regional boating industry.