By SeaTec
From 29 to 31 March, a full immersion in the Tyrrhenian district of yachting, with the international exhibition of Technologies, Subcontracting and Design for boats, yachts and ships. During the event, an intense programme of conferences will be dedicated to the most current and advanced issues of shipbuilding, management and yacht design
Italy is the world's leading exporter in the sector of shipbuilding. In 2015, the Italian shipbuilding industry has exported yachts, pleasure and sporting boats for the value of 1.7 billion Euros, accounting for over 16% of world exports (source UCINA (2016) “Boating in numbers ‒ Market analysis for the year 2015”).
Given the number of employees and the turnover, the Italian shipbuilding industry sees its maximum concentration in the Tyrrhenian district the regions of La Spezia, Massa-Carrara, Lucca, Pisa and Livorno. The revenues generated by the companies situated in this district amounts to 709 million Euros, corresponding to 40.1% of the national turnover of shipbuilding (Ucina 2016); the total export represents around 30% of the national export of ships and boats.
The nautical sector, however, is not just made up of big shipyards, as it is sided by a number of small and medium-sized accessories’ and components’ manufacturers as well as by companies working in the subcontracting chain that stand out for their high qualitative and technological level. Tuscany is the Italian region with the highest concentration of companies in this sector: 535 enterprises for pleasure boats with over 3,000 employees. These 535 are shipbuilding companies, but if we consider the nautical production system as a whole, taking into account not only the shipbuilding production, but also of the other activities of the supply chain (subcontracting, services and repairs, wholesale and renting), the number increases up to around 2,000 companies, with nearly 12,000 employees, as reported in the research report on the nautical industry “Dynamics and market perspectives of the recreational boating industry ‒ fourth edition”, by CNA Nautica.
Seatec places exactly in this framework; like every year, the trade show will dedicate gives ample room to seminars and conferences which represents a significant opportunity for professional updating for the entire industry. The conference programme offers high technical contents and deals with issues relating the new dynamics of the nautical market. Among the crucial topics of the season, special attention goes to disability ‒ understood also as inability or diminished physical capacity, in the broad sense ‒ referred to users of crafts and recreational boats. The topic will be discussed in the context of Myda and Quasar design awards’ prizegiving by the juries and the competitors, with a view to analysing solutions that can facilitate the use of sail and motor boats by disabled and invalid users. Still on the same subject, in collaboration with SENAF as part of the initiative Disability on Board, the workshop “Accessible Navigation: infrastructures and boats for a wider range of users”, organised by Exposanità, will be held with the aim of rethinking the spaces for boating and the tools for navigation so that they can be benefited from an audience as wider as possible, including also persons affected by physical or cognitive disabilities. SENAF, in co-operation with Technology Hub, will also held the conference “ Innovative materials and additive manufacturing” on March 30th.
Another key issue on the agenda is security on board, or cyber security: the topic will be discussed both by Ethos Media Group ‒ through the words of the researcher Philip Novario, who will analyse experience and practice cases on physical-logical security ‒ and by Rina Academy, that will discuss the measures to improve information security at sea, explain the guidelines and favour the understanding and awareness of the crucial aspects of this issue, by examining the vulnerability of ships and yachts.
Rina Academy will also deal with the issue of water ballast on board, analyzing the international convention for its control and management on board, together with its sediments.
Caputistudio, with the voice of his manager, architect Gianluca Caputi, will discuss about the project VR4YD, Virtual Reality for Yacht Design, application of virtual reality for the yachting industry with the aim of providing new tools to designers and shipyards to improve the perception of their projects.
In the now well-established area of Ascomac-Unimot, the association of marine engines manufacturers and distributors, shipyard Benetti will present its latest and innovative hull design applied to the "Fast" models and the co-operation with Rolls Royce for the application of transmission by Azipod in carbon, AzipullCarbon 65, whose performances are revolutionizing propulsion systems in the yachting world.
Presentations and side-events will also be held in the Startup Arena, dedicated to business and innovation with new proposals by the youngest companies in the sector; for them, an “Elevator Pitch” will be arranged: a fixed-term presentation lasting only 5 minutes in which each start-up company will present its activity under the watchful eye of a committee of experts that will award the most innovative start-up of the arena: a significant opportunity for visibility, to stand out amidst the ‘giants’ of marine industry.
Other important issues will be presented by the research institute INSEAN, connected to CNR (National Research Council), which will introduce the database of the ship model basin of Rome, the mobile laboratory for real measurements and will discuss the technological challenges and the opportunities for the marine industry related to clean, renewable energy derived from the sea. Large number of speakers: Fabio Di Felice, Luca Mauro, Salvatore Mauro, Francesco Salvatore.
Finally, a technical-educational conference will analyse the topical subject concerning the use of 3D printing in the marine and shipbuilding industries.
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