Italian Boating Industry Hits €8.72bn as Superyachts Drive Record Export

Italy’s recreational boating industry generated a record €8.72 billion in revenue in 2025, up 1.4 percent year on year, according to new figures from Confindustria Nautica. The data underline the continued strength of high-end yacht construction, with exports reaching €4.4 billion and Italian builders accounting for 52 percent of global superyacht orders by unit count.

Superyachts remain the strongest part of the market

Confindustria Nautica says the 2025 results reveal an increasingly divided market, with high-end yacht construction and international demand remaining resilient while smaller recreational-boat segments face more difficult conditions. That distinction is important because the overall record turnover does not mean every part of the marine industry is expanding at the same pace.

Italy’s position in superyachts remains especially significant. The association reports 568 Italian-built units in the global order book, equal to 52 percent of worldwide superyacht orders by number, confirming that large-yacht construction continues to anchor the country’s international marine-industry leadership.

Exports reach a new €4.4 billion record

Italian yacht-building exports reached €4.4 billion in 2025, up 2.6 percent from the previous year, while export activity represented around 90 percent of domestic boatbuilding output. Confindustria Nautica puts Italy’s share of worldwide yacht exports at 21.3 percent, reinforcing the industry’s dependence on international owners and markets.

That export performance also explains why global economic conditions matter so directly to Italian yards and suppliers. Large yachts, equipment and specialist components are sold into an international customer base, making exchange rates, financing conditions, geopolitical uncertainty and owner confidence important influences on the production pipeline.

Employment continues to grow across the supply chain

Direct employment in the Italian boating industry rose 3 percent to 32,420 people during 2025, while Confindustria Nautica estimates that the wider supply chain supports around 170,000 jobs. The industry’s contribution to Italian GDP is calculated at €7.51 billion, reflecting the economic activity generated beyond the shipyards themselves.

Superyacht production has an especially broad multiplier effect because each project draws on naval architecture, engineering, interiors, electronics, propulsion, coatings, logistics and service companies. A large order book therefore supports specialist suppliers well beyond the regions where the final yachts are physically assembled.

A record year still shows clear pressure points

Domestic boatbuilding production reached €5.47 billion, but growth was uneven across individual segments. Inboard craft increased, while outboard boats, inflatables and sailing categories linked more closely to middle-income recreational demand remained under pressure for a second consecutive year.

The result is a market in which Italy’s premium and superyacht sectors continue to perform strongly even as smaller-boat demand becomes more selective. For the superyacht industry, the new figures reinforce Italy’s position as the world’s dominant production centre while also highlighting how dependent that leadership is on exports, specialist skills and continued investment in high-end construction.

Official sources: confindustrianautica.net.