The Cantieri di Pisa press conference at the Cannes Yachting Festival served as an excellent platform to showcase the achievements and future objectives of the brand, founded in 1945 and now under the ownership of Enrico Gennasio. Since taking over in 2021, the new management has invested €6 million to enhance the shipyard’s production capabilities, supported by a robust order book nearing €30 million. The boat show also featured the Akhir line, designed by Antonio Luxardo, which merges the legacy of an iconic vessel with innovative features. The first model to be launched will be the Akhir 44.
Cantieri di Pisa press conference
Cantieri di Pisa: Polaris and Saturno Lines
During the press conference at the Cannes Yachting Festival, CEO Marco Massabò, who has a background in sailing yachts, reflected on the progress made by the new owner since 2021—expanding production facilities, presenting the Polaris and Saturno lines, and selling the first explorer from the CdP Custom Division. He also unveiled the third line, Akhir, redesigned to cater to modern owners while preserving the brand’s historical essence.
Akhir historical lines
From the very beginning, the new management aimed to restore the shipyard, which has made a significant mark in Italian yachting history with the production of over 700 boats, to its pioneering status as an innovator and a showcase of Italian excellence worldwide. The initial step towards this goal involved an investment of €6 million since 2021 to modernize and expand the production facilities, which now cover a total area of 50,000 square meters, with a refit area of 24,000 square meters.
Antonio Luxardo
Alongside the expansion of production facilities, the new management recruited Antonio Luxardo as chief designer to align the shipyard’s mission with its historical heritage and future direction, while maintaining a sharp focus on technological innovation and the environmental impact of production processes. The aim to create new types of boats for various market segments led to the introduction of three ranges, with the Polaris 48, Saturno 56, and the upcoming Akhir 44 presented so far. The design emphasis was placed on weight reduction and an innovative EHPH Power Fin hull type.
The Shipyard has a total of six construction slots available for boats up to 56 meters in length. Currently, two boats are under construction: the 80 Veloce, a 24-meter carbon fiber yacht capable of reaching 60 knots, scheduled for launch in six months, and a 37.50-meter technological explorer featuring a steel hull and composite superstructure developed by the CDP Custom division (with design and engineering by Marcelo Penna), set to launch in summer 2026. Thanks to these projects, Cantieri di Pisa boasts a healthy €27 million order book for 2024, encompassing €17 million in new builds and €10 million in refits. In its first year under new ownership in 2021, sales reached €3 million, rising to €3.5 million in the following year and €4 million in 2023.
Cantieri di Pisa: Akhir 44
The Akhir line, now a brand within the brand, has evolved while retaining certain signature characteristics, making it one of the world’s longest-standing boat lines. To preserve the connection between the past and the future, Cantieri di Pisa has introduced a new range that maintains the same recognizability and identity.
In accordance with the Yard’s DNA, several distinctive features of this renowned line have been retained, including the sleek lines of the deckhouse, the strip windows on the hull sides, the “shark-like” decoration on the bow, the horizontal-grid air intakes, and the black and white livery that underscores the line’s identity. The first model from this range to be introduced to the market, the Akhir 44, will feature a vacuum-moulded carbon fiber composite hull and superstructure. Like the other models in the three ranges, this yacht will also sport an EHPH Power Fin hull.