Riccardo Masnata for PressMare met Vasco Buonpensiere, co-founder and CEO of Cantiere delle Marche, to discuss design, the market, and what the new “billionaire” yacht owners are looking for in a yacht.

PressMare – Let’s start with design: Cantiere delle Marche can be described as a “niche shipyard” that has clearly identified its typical client. In the explorer segment, where you are market leaders, how important is design? Is it a decisive factor in the owner’s choice?

Vasco Buonpensiere – We were somewhat pioneers of a concept. At the beginning, the explorer yacht was a type of vessel derived from the commercial world, a converted tugboat, like our early Darwin series. Later, we managed to demonstrate that the concept of “explorer” is tied to how the yacht is built and what it can do. It doesn’t need to resemble another yacht: it is an explorer. When we first developed this concept with the Nauta Air line, we showed that you could sail around the world with a yacht of just 100 feet in length without it looking like a workboat.

PM – So, a change of perspective.

VB – Exactly. This opened up a whole new world, attracting owners who wanted a yacht capable of circumnavigating the globe—indestructible and highly reliable—but who might have hesitated because the vessels didn’t look appealing, didn’t match the aesthetics of a “beautiful yacht.” When we proved that an explorer could also be designed with strong aesthetic value, a new market opened up. From there, we developed the RJ line with Francesco Paszkowski, and more recently the 45-metre Tremenda designed by Giorgio Maria Cassetta: yachts with bold, distinctive lines, far removed from the “workboat” look.

PM – And what about interiors?

VB – The same trend applies. Today, we collaborate with names such as Winch Design, Terence Dinsdale, and Achille Salvagni, some of the world’s top designers. Once that door was opened, it became clear that an explorer is not just for “hardcore adventurers.” The best definition is that the explorer yacht is a symbol of freedom: with an explorer you decide what to do; with a white yacht, you are limited to what the vessel allows you to do. The explorer gives you control, in every sense.

PM – Last year you closed with 12 sales, a record for the yard. Are such results possible again this year?

VB – No, I don’t think so. Our order book is already scheduled many years ahead.

PM – Until when is your order book full?

VB – We are now selling slots for 2029, which naturally slows down new sales. Owners of smaller yachts are not willing to wait four years, and some shipyards are now offering speculative builds at competitive prices. So, I expect a slowdown, even though demand for this type of product remains very strong.

PM – How are requests changing, particularly from the new generation of billionaires, especially Americans? Has the way they use yachts evolved?

VB – The common requirement is that the yacht must allow them to work out and maintain a very healthy lifestyle. In the past, life on board was mostly about pleasure, food, and drinks with guests. Now, owners ask for spaces for yoga, saunas, ice baths, and similar activities. Training and meditation are part of their daily routine.

The second aspect is the possibility of using the yacht as a base for onshore experiences—highly exclusive activities for them and their entourage. This is why we created an integrated project: a package of shore-based services offering enduro motorbikes, mountain bikes, skiing, and other top-level experiences. These are all physically engaging activities involving equipment that cannot realistically be stored on board.

PM – Let’s talk about sustainability, both at the shipyard and on board. How do you address it?

VB – I say sustainability is great—if you can afford it. There’s a new professional figure, the “sustainable material manager,” who ensures every component brought on board is produced ethically, is recyclable, and undergoes a full check. Each material comes with a record of its origins so that the owner can make informed choices. This manager can be a consultant for the designer or the owner and must have in-depth knowledge of materials.

PM – But this increases costs for the owner.

VB – Yes, but it’s not only about the products themselves, it’s also about the processes connected to them. Certain adhesives, for example, require different techniques that many shipyards or subcontractors have never used. Sustainability is about processes as much as materials.

PM – With such a full order book, are you planning to expand your facilities?

VB – No. We recently acquired an area within the port of Ancona, but for now we’re stopping there. Even though demand would suggest expanding production for shorter delivery times, that would compromise quality.

PM – After all, you’ve always pursued gradual growth.

VB – We always say we don’t want to become bigger; we want to become better. If we become better, the client is willing to pay more, and we can achieve the same profit as if we had produced more yachts—only with greater sustainability.

Riccardo Masnata