Benetti's 24th Yachtmaster Conference: Captains discuss switch to HVO fuels
Sören Gehlhaus
· 06.06.2024
When 106 captains are gathered in a room, it makes sense to ask them for their opinion. And that's exactly what Benetti's CCO Sebastiano Fanizza did. During the 24th Yachtmaster Conference, he asked: "If we offered you HVO fuel at the same price as diesel, would you bunker it?" A few hands went up hesitantly, and in the end there were around 15 captains who were open to renewable diesel. Every year, Benetti invites captains from its own yachts and from Azimut, as well as sailors who are well known and who currently sail on boats from other shipyards. Suppliers, construction supervisors and partners from all over the world also travelled to Budapest.
Switch from fossil fuels to HVO fuels
When asked about their reservations, bacterial contamination was mentioned. They had existed, but were a thing of the past, according to the unanimous opinion in the hall. Furthermore, the price was higher and availability was worse. Both valid points, but they do not touch on the core of the issue. After all, HVO is a drop-in fuel that can be used in its pure form or mixed with fossil diesel in any ratio. Fanizza previously announced that it had ordered 700,000 litres of HVO from the Italian Eni Group. That would be a start, but the order would only mean one full tank of the Benetti Gigas "Luminosity" (107.6 m) and "Lana" (107 m). In 2023, the Azimut Benetti Group signed an initial agreement with Eni Live to switch from fossil fuels to HVO fuels for sea trials and tests of new models. The hydrogenated vegetable oil burns almost smokeless and odourless and with up to 90 percent fewer greenhouse gases.
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One of the HVO supporters is Maurizio Capitani, who has not missed a captain's conference since 2005. The 65-year-old steers the Benetti Crystal 140 "My Johanna" and comes from Livorno, where Benetti's largest shipyard is located. It is here that Eni is converting a refinery into a biofuel production facility. The company already produces HVOlution in Venice and Gela and is building up a network of tens of thousands of small suppliers around the world. It mainly utilises waste raw materials from used cooking oil, animal fat and other biomass that does not compete with the food chain.
The fact that Maurizio Capitani has no alternative to plant power also has to do with his two sons, both skippers. One is in Budapest and is in command of a 35-metre Benetti, while the other is an officer on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. Capitani is the second chairman of the Italian Yacht Masters, which has 95 members and campaigns for the interests of captains and promotes young talent.
Another Yachtmaster participant is 31-year-old Arif Sisman, who is using Team Italia's simulator to familiarise himself with the type of integrated bridge that awaits him in the near future. The Turk is currently sailing on an Azimut Grande 38 Tri-Deck, coming from a Grande 35 Metri and will be casting off on a Benetti B.Now 50 in 2025. Sisman is happy that his owner is gradually expanding. This makes it easier for him, but the owner is also getting used to the increase in complexity and costs, especially with regard to the crew.
The right climate on board
Benetti and the Luxury Hospitality team led by founder Peter Vogel focussed on interpersonal relationships. The Dutchman most recently managed the events and voyages of Paul Allen's superyacht fleet around "Octopus". They spoke about the right climate on board and how captains can keep a crew on board. His challenge was: "You are responsible for establishing a leadership culture on board." According to a study by Google, teams work most efficiently when there is psychological safety. It is not important who works in the group, but how they act. It is crucial that everyone is allowed to say anything at any time. The three success factors: encouraging collaboration, asking lots of questions and recognising that you don't have the answers to everything.
A beach club for charter success
Ilija Dimitrievic was on the podium to answer questions. The Serbian, who as owner's representative and captain is in charge of a B.Now 60M with an Oasis deck scheduled for 2027, provided information about one of the most important construction decisions: the beach club - for immediate charter success. This was confirmed by Fraser CEO Anders Kurtén. The Finn presented the results of a non-representative survey of brokers, who listed living close to the water in first place. This was followed by gym and wellness as well as outdoor cinema and Starlink.
Benetti's motto for the Yachtmaster event was "lifestyle". And according to Sebastiano Fanizza, this is developing in a clear direction: "Small windows and overloaded interiors kept guests inside, where they could barely see the sea. This is changing dramatically." The increase in outdoor space from a Benetti Classic 115 (2001) to the Oasis 34 (2022) was stated as 94 per cent. This is fitting: The average Benetti owner is 52 years old and has two to three children. They would definitely be in favour of HVO diesel.
