Review of Venice Boat Show 2021, Italy

The Venice International Boat Show 2021, last from May 29 to June 6, in the spectacular structures of the city’s Arsenal, symbol of the power and military power of the Serenissima Republic and the heart of its naval industry which has allowed it to be one of the greatest maritime powers for centuries. Visitors was be able to admire more than 220 boats from over 160 exhibitors, and also participate in numerous events and conferences with themes relating to boating, the environment, sustainability and more.

In this exceptional exhibit, where the best of national and international naval production can be admired, visitors also immerse themselves in the glorious history of Venice and understand how Venice was one of the greatest maritime powers thanks to its flourishing naval industry. The boat fair also host many events including shows, guided tours to the most representative places in Venice’s naval history, presentations, talks and themed tours in different areas of the city.

The opening ceremony was held on 29 May with the presence of high political and military officials, including the President of the Senate Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati at the end of which the overflight by the National Air Force Aerobatic Team took place. Military of Italy and of the City on the occasion of the celebrations of the 1600th anniversary of the foundation of Venice.

A very suggestive historical context in the heart of Venice, consisting of a water basin of 50,000 square meters, over 1000 linear meters of piers for about 150 boats in the water, 30,000 square meters of outdoor exhibition spaces, and covered pavilions for a total of about 5,000 square meters.

The Venice International Boat Show, also known as the Festival of the Sea, is an annual exhibition of pleasure boating held in Venice in June at the Venice Arsenal. It was held for the first time in 2002 and, starting from a local market dimension, in a few editions it has reached a national and international rank, constantly expanding. The Venice Boat Show is promoted by the Municipality of Venice and realized through the company Vela spa, in collaboration with the Italian Navy.

During this special event, the Naval History Museum also open its doors to the public (every day from 28 May to 6 June, 11.00-17.00 and then every Friday, Saturday and Sunday) which is located a few steps from the entrance of the Arsenale and the Venice Boat Show 2021. The Naval Museum, the only one of its kind in Italy, houses some of the most fascinating boats of Venice’s Republic and traces the glories of the military and naval power of the floating city.

Venice Boat Show 2021
The 2021 edition of the Venice Boat Show was held at the Arsenale, which thus wants to be deeply connected to the history and ancient maritime tradition of Venice. The Venice Boat Show, presented with the title ” Naval art comes home “, wants to become a reference event for the entire Eastern Mediterranean with the aim of becoming the largest boating event.

The Arsenal provide a water basin of 50,000 square meters in all, of which 20,000 was for the exhibition and pavilions for a total of approximately 6,000 meters for indoor exhibition. Some areas of the Arsenale was specially restored for the event which see the participation of 50 exhibitors who present 50 large yachts and 95 pleasure boats (with lengths from 10 to 24 meters).

The Arsenale was accessed from four points: from the Naval Museum, with the entrance along the Arsenale canal, from the Giardino delle Vergini, from the Basins (which was connected to the airport) and from Celestia. For this, approximately 100 berths and 10,000 square meters of exhibition area was built.

Highlights
Sustainability and environmental impact, or mobility and electric, hybrid and innovative motors with the participation of several dozen Italian and European shipyards;

Sailing Yacht, the novelty of 2021 is presented with a 96 linear meter double-sided jetty, entirely dedicated to the sailing boats of the most prestigious international and Italian shipyards;

Motor Yacht, with boats from 15 to 40 meters in length that was exhibited in the “main yacht riviera” and in the new piers under construction.

A special section is dedicated to boats with electric propulsion, which also be the protagonists of a race, the E-Regatta.

The Candela foiling motorboat also be protagonists, a very interesting solution for Venice due to the reduced production of wave motion and Anvera E-Lab, an electrically-powered offshore that try to break the speed record with an electric motor. Goal exceed 100 km / h.

Area Piazzale della Campanella – Exhibition of historic, military and traditional Venetian boats.

Main Yacht Riviera – Exhibition in the Dock of the Darsena Grande with moorings for boats from 10 to 50 meters. The area was equipped with electricity and water and an area dedicated to reception can be organized.

Open Air Fair – Exhibition in the Dock of the Darsena Grande with moorings for boats up to 10 meters. The area was equipped with electricity and water and an area dedicated to reception can be organized.

Brim of the tassels – 3 large areas for a total of 3,500 square meters was present in a completely restored environment, respecting the original and historical structure. Here there was exhibition modules with sizes ranging from 6 to 128 square meters.

Events
Parallel to the 2021 Venice Boat Show, various activities have also been planned in different areas of the city, such as guided visits to the symbolic places of the naval history of Venice with ad hoc and themed itineraries for the entire period in which the fair take place in the lagoon city, from 29 May to 6 June.

In conjunction with the second edition of the Venice Boat Show there was the Venice E -Regatta 2021 event from 2 to 4 June, a sports competition dedicated to electric propulsion boats.

One of the key words of this edition of the 2021 Venice Boat Show was inclusion. Olympic canoe champion Daniele Scarpa sent the message that sport helps mental and physical health and to fight disease.

There are two sports inclusion projects in particular. Desire Dis-Equality is about sharing life at sea with people with disabilities aboard a sailboat. ForzaRosa International Breast Cancer Survivor was born from the meeting between the ForzaRosa Donna 2000 group and Trifoglio Rosa for breast cancer operated women who practice paddle sports as a form of psycho-physical rehabilitation.

Green exhibition
The focus of the event was sustainability which finds its exhibition moment in the E-Village in a wide series of hybrid and electric projects, which had already characterized the first edition. The figure of the diver among the protagonists of the Venice Boat Show 2021 to talk about the protection of lagoon waters.

On World Environment Day, the gondoliers, volunteer divers, dived for demonstration purposes in the waters of the Arsenale, in Rio delle Galeazze, with both vintage and modern equipment. Periodically these underwater athletes clean up the canals of Venice bringing to the surface tons of unimaginable waste: boilers, bicycles, sinks, outboard motors and so on and so forth. Their activity is precious for the health of the lagoon and also for the image of a beautiful and clean Venice.