First Malta Superyacht Symposium ends on a positive note with momentum for change

After two days of frank discussion and open debate, the inaugural Malta Superyacht Symposium came to a close yesterday with the remarks of the Hon. Dr Aaron Farrugia, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capitol Projects.  Savannah yacht by Feadship in Birgu, MaltaPhoto: Karl BorgThe Symposium, hosted jointly by the Malta Chamber and the Malta Maritime Law Association, dug deep into the issues surrounding the island and its presence in the yachting industry. With obvious successes to be celebrated – more than 1000 yachts now flying the Malta flag for example, there was certainly a sense of celebration for efforts over the past decade.

However, the talks, which covered refit, Malta as a yachting destination, regulation, crew, and the future of the island's industry, all came with their share of healthy debate, and a broad acceptance that the yachting community on the island needs to solidify its direction before it can move forward. This was, in crux, the purpose of the Symposium, which was witnessed by both Minister Farrugia and his opposition, Hon. Ivan Castillo of the Nationalist Party and the days ended with a clear commitment from all parties to continue the focused discussion toward impactful change. Moskito yacht in MaltaPhoto: Kurt ArrigoWith expert input from across the local industry, the voices of many experts were heard, from Pierre Balzan of Melita Marine Group, Niki Travers Tauss of on behalf of Azimut, Dr Anthony Galea of MMLA to Dr Alison Vassallo of the Chamber, representing a breadth of the yachting industry. 

There were also a number of foreign speakers, with Massimo Perotti, CEO of Sanlorenzo, delivering a powerful keynote speech on the need for unification in the industry, as well as sharing an insight into the innovation underway at the Italian shipyard. The voices of Lorenzo Pollicardo, Technical Director of SYBAss and Giorgio Gallo of RINA lent an international slant to the proceedings and brought the conversation into step with the wider yachting industry. Palumbo Malta Shipyard Photo: Keith AbelaWith a commitment to host a follow up Symposium next year, it will be interesting to hear about the discussions over the course of the past two days will lead to actioned change for the future of the island. One thing is for sure, the Maltese are ready to be advocates for the future of the industry and are eager to lead the charge when it comes to unification and sustainability.

SuperYacht Times was welcomed to the event as Media Partner, and looks forward to a continued relationship with the industry on the island. 

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