The Salone Nautico di Genova 2025 ran September 18-23 in Piazzale Kennedy, marking the 65th edition of one of Europe's oldest boat shows. The same half-year the show took place also brought financial results from two of the country's largest shipbuilding groups — Sanlorenzo and Ferretti Group — that help measure Italy's real weight in the global yacht market.
Table of Contents
- The 65th edition in Piazzale Kennedy
- Genoa, the cradle of Italian shipbuilding
- What the Italian groups' numbers reveal
- Sanlorenzo and Ferretti Group side by side
- What this means for chartering an Italian-built superyacht
- Genoa on the September calendar
- FAQ
The 65th edition in Piazzale Kennedy
The Salone Nautico di Genova opened on September 18, 2025 and closed six days later, on September 23, occupying Piazzale Kennedy, the waterfront square that has given the show its address for decades. It is the 65th edition of a show dating back to 1962, making it one of the longest-running fixtures on the European yachting calendar — older than the Monaco Yacht Show itself, which launched nearly three decades later.
Genoa, the cradle of Italian shipbuilding
Genoa is not an arbitrary choice of venue. The city has historically been Italy's principal commercial port and sits at the centre of Liguria, a coastline running from industrial shipyards to villages like Portofino, a symbol of Italian luxury yachting tourism just a short distance away. It was along this stretch of coast — between Genoa, the Gulf of Tigullio and the Ligurian Riviera — that much of the country's luxury shipbuilding tradition took shape over the twentieth century, before spreading to other hubs such as Viareggio and La Spezia, in Tuscany.
What the Italian groups' numbers reveal
It is no coincidence that Italy accounts for a large share of the world's yacht and superyacht production. In the same period Genoa gathers the industry in Piazzale Kennedy, two of the country's largest groups released first-half 2025 results confirming that weight. Sanlorenzo reported, on September 4, net revenue of €454.1 million (up 9.4%), EBITDA of €80.5 million (up 8.5%), and order intake up 29.9%, pushing its backlog to €985.2 million. Ferretti Group, published July 31, posted consolidated revenue of €620.4 million, up 1.5% over the same period in 2024, in a half marked by US-EU tariff uncertainty.
Sanlorenzo and Ferretti Group side by side
Placing the two results side by side helps illustrate different paces within the same country: faster growth on one side, more measured progress on the other, both still operating in positive territory during a half-year of international trade tension.
| Italian group | H1 2025 revenue | Year-on-year change | Other notable figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanlorenzo | €454.1 million | +9.4% | Order intake +29.9%; backlog of €985.2 million |
| Ferretti Group | €620.4 million | +1.5% | Result pressured by US-EU tariff uncertainty |
Read together, the two results show an industry still growing despite macroeconomic noise — the kind of resilience that keeps Italy among the world's leading luxury yacht-building countries, alongside the Netherlands and Germany in the superyacht segment.
What this means for chartering an Italian-built superyacht
For an international client considering a Mediterranean superyacht charter, the financial strength of Italy's shipyards translates into fleet maintenance and reliable access to parts and technical service in ports like Genoa, Viareggio and La Spezia — infrastructure that underpins many of the yachts Voguer Yachts brokers for charter in Italy and France. Financially healthy shipyards also tend to keep production lines stable, which shows up as more recent models becoming available for charter in coming seasons.
Genoa on the September calendar
The Salone di Genova closed the same week the São Paulo Boat Show wrapped up in Brazil and just days before the Monaco Yacht Show 2025 opened in Port Hercule — a show that later closed with 29,956 visitors and $2.9 billion in superyachts for sale. Together with the Cannes Yachting Festival, which opened the month, these four events form the densest stretch of the annual yachting calendar — a September that links the Italian, French, Monegasque and Brazilian industries within a few weeks of each other.
FAQ
When and where did the Genoa Boat Show 2025 take place? September 18-23, 2025, in Piazzale Kennedy, Genoa, Italy. It was the 65th edition of one of Europe's oldest boat shows, dating back to 1962.
Why is Genoa important to the Italian shipbuilding industry? Genoa has historically been Italy's leading commercial port and sits at the centre of Liguria, a region that holds part of the country's luxury shipbuilding tradition, alongside other hubs such as Viareggio and La Spezia.
Which Italian shipyards published results in the same period? Sanlorenzo reported, on September 4, 2025, first-half revenue of €454.1 million (up 9.4%). Ferretti Group published, on July 31, revenue of €620.4 million (up 1.5%) for the same period.
Is Italy the world's largest superyacht-building country? The figures in this article cover only Sanlorenzo's and Ferretti Group's first-half 2025 results; a full country-by-country market-share comparison would require additional data outside the scope of this coverage.
What does US-EU tariff uncertainty have to do with the industry? Ferretti Group cited that backdrop as a pressure point on its first-half 2025 result, since a meaningful share of demand for Italian luxury yachts comes from American buyers.
Is the Salone di Genova open to the public? The show occupies Piazzale Kennedy, a central and easily accessible area of Genoa; this article did not have access to attendance figures for the 2025 edition, only the dates and venue confirmed by organizers.
How does Italian shipyard performance affect superyacht charter? Financially healthy shipyards maintain stable production and technical support in ports like Genoa and Viareggio, which sustains the availability of more recent yachts for Mediterranean charter in coming seasons.
Does Genoa compete with Cannes and Monaco on the September calendar? Not directly — the formats and audiences differ — but the dates overlap. Genoa closed the same week the São Paulo Boat Show wrapped up in Brazil and shortly before the Monaco Yacht Show opened, all within the same month.
Related reading
See the full September 2025 show calendar, the São Paulo Boat Show 2025 results, and the Monaco Yacht Show 2025 results. For the fuller picture of Brazil's own industry, see Brazil's Nautical Market in 2025.
