Made in Italy once again performed brilliantly at Metstrade in Amsterdam, highlighting its ability to drive innovation and anticipate the needs of the global leisure boat market. The collective of 82 Italian companies, present in the Italian Pavilion (Hall 12 and Hall 8) thanks to the collaboration between Confindustria Nautica and Ice Agenzia, offers a complete picture of national production excellence. Italian companies have once again confirmed their international leadership in the design and production of components and accessories with high technological content, characterized by quality, reliability and distinctive design.
Piero Formenti, President of Confindustria Nautica, commented: “Mets is a special observatory: in a few days, you can meet the operators in this sector and effectively meet the demands of the Italian industry. In this process, the role of ICE Agenzia is decisive. This year the office in Brussels has confirmed its institutional commitment so that the Italian collective can present itself in the future with a more recognized image, according to the quality expressed by our company. The support of ICE allows us to maximize about our potential and to continue strengthening the presence of Made in Italy on the international market. Our presence at Mets proves itself: 82 companies collectively in an exhibition space of 1,757 m2 A strength rooted in a unique supply chain of components and accessories in the world, capable of providing the most innovative and design solutions to yacht builders.
Tindaro Paganini – Director of Ice Brussels underlined that “The collaboration between ITA and Confindustria Nautica represents a model of a good state system applied to the maritime sector. The union between ITA’s institutional support and Confindustria Nautica’s industrial expertise allows us to present, at a major international event such as Metstrade, the image of a strong, cohesive and competitive Italian supply chain. Thanks to this cooperation, the Italian maritime sector can make the most of its distinctive features – innovation technology, construction quality, design and sustainability – strengthening the global reputation of Made in Italy. The Italian Pavilion is the most obvious example of this: a constantly evolving space, which offers new opportunities for Italian companies, especially SMEs, for visibility, networking and access to foreign markets. Together, ITA and Confindustria Nautica strengthen the internationalization of the sector and consolidate Italy’s global leadership in the maritime sector”.
Positive responses also came from companies present in Halls 12 and 8, who expressed satisfaction with the level of interest found and the quality of contacts made over the three days of the event.
Anton Francesco Albertoni – CEO of Veleria San Giorgio and Former President of Confindustria Nautica underlined that “Metstrade in Amsterdam asserts itself as an absolute reference exhibition at international level. The presence of the Italian collective organized by Confindustria Nautica and Ice Agenzia had a very significant impact, with the company’s participation continuing to increase and the exhibition space expanded. In this context, we chose Mets to inaugurate the centenary celebrations of Veleria San Giorgio, a historic brand born in 1926 in Darsena di Genova and is approaching a great milestone. The celebratory journey will continue throughout 2026 with initiatives dedicated to our customers and partners, until it reaches its final moment at the Genoa International Boat Show, from 1 to 6 October 2026. A project that aims to honor our history and generate new opportunities for meetings and development for the company”.
Alessandro Gianneschi – CEO of Gianneschi Pumps&Blowers and Vice President of Confindustria Nautica explains that “The Italian Pavilion represents one of Metstrade’s most significant national collective exhibitions and confirms, year after year, its strategic role at international level. Thanks to the collaboration with Ice Agenzia, we bring together more than eighty companies between Hall 12 and Hall 8 dedicated to superyachts, a unique exhibition of technological innovation, the most advanced materials and innovative solutions developed by our industry.
In addition, the component sector is a test for the market: Mets, one of the last exhibitions of the year, allows us to clearly understand the state of the industry after the autumn exhibition which paints a clear picture: Made in Italy maintains its solidity, reputation and ability to innovate, and the Italian Pavilion continues to be one of the drivers of this recognized excellence”.
Luciano Paissoni – CEO of Foresti&Suardi and Member of the Board of Confindustria Nautica underlines that “This edition of Metstrade is very valuable for our collective, because it prioritizes moments of authentic discussion between Italian and non-Italian companies. The aggregation and exchange of opinions is a fundamental element for a sector like ours, and the evening initiative with Italian Alcoholic Beverages, which we share, contributes significantly to strengthening this spirit”.
Alessio Piana – Member of the Council delegated for the Economic Development of the Liguria Region explained that “Liguria’s participation in the Mets in Amsterdam, through Liguria International, is the first step towards stable leading one of the main global maritime events. A sector, namely the Blue Economy, which is strategic for our Region and in which we want to continue investing. Not only to support the 15 Ligurian companies present, but also to evaluate how to strengthen the participation of the regional system in the next edition. Our aim is to help companies grow in the international market and transform these opportunities into economic development and new jobs.”
Confindustria Nautica takes part in the Board Meetings of the European federation EBI and in various ICOMIA meetings and technical workshops, such as the Board of Directors, Trade and Market Intelligence Committee, Superyacht Division, Technical Committee and Joint Meetings.
Fabio Planamente, Vice President of Confindustria Nautica and member of the EBI Board responsible for the special representation of the large cruise ship sector, stated that “As part of Metstrade, Confindustria Nautica participated in the meeting of the EBI – Federation of the European Shipping Industry, an event of great importance for the sector in which significant convergence emerged on various strategic themes for the future of the sector, with particular reference to sustainability policies and infrastructure development. In this regard, we welcome with satisfaction the recent decision of the European Union Commission to allocate, for the first time for the first time, a special fund for the marine sector aimed at the development of marinas and the sustainability of this sector: a result that confirms the importance and strategic role of our industry not only in Italy, but also at European level”.
The next meeting for companies in the Italian cruise industry is scheduled in Rome, in the Chamber of Deputies, on 11 December 2025 with the Confindustria Nautica Shareholders’ Meeting which will bring together cruise ship entrepreneurs for a day of work, discussions and the latest information in the sector. The theme of the public session, scheduled for 11.30 in the Sala della Regina of the Chamber of Deputies: “Nautics: a new paradigm for the Made in Italy industry. International relations, economics, industrial policy and supply chain regulations that guide Italian manufacturing and look at the world”.
