Exclusive interview with Fulvio Montaldo for Super Yacht 24
Cantieri Sestri: Sailing Towards Excellence
The time has come to lower the sails on the refit season within specialized shipyards. The Sestri Naval Shipyards are a choice of excellence, even with the final touches to the boats that are eager to return to the sea.
In an exclusive interview granted to SUPER YACHT 24, Fulvio Montaldo, the owner, reflects on the pleasure of another year of successes and shares ambitious future plans.
In the Heart of Numbers
The expertise of the Sestri Naval Shipyards has been tested on almost a hundred boats in the current year. This significant number includes about twenty yachts that approach or exceed 24 meters in length. Despite successfully completing two 50-meter megayachts (immense challenges), Montaldo reveals a preference for working on a larger number of boats, even if they are of smaller dimensions.
A Clientele Without Borders
Among boats ranging from 24 to 40 meters, about 60% of the clients come from beyond the borders. Owners from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States constitute a significant portion of the international clientele. Although the Russian market has experienced some notable turbulence, the shipyard maintains a well-diversified customer portfolio. Among them stands out Nave Va, a Corsican company that manages a fleet of commercial vessels with long annual navigation times.
Unstoppable Growth Amid Challenges
Even amidst challenging circumstances, the Sestri Naval Shipyards are poised to grow. With an in-house team of about 15 employees, they regularly collaborate with specialized external teams. On some occasions, there have been as many as fifty workers on the shipyard. Despite limited space, both on land and at sea, Montaldo expresses the hope of having more spacious facilities.
Sailing Towards the Future
The shipyard’s development strategy revolves around service quality and investments in infrastructure. The autumn will mark the beginning of the renovation works for the workshops, internal carpentry, refreshment areas, and the warehouse. This represents the second phase of the development plan, initiated with the acquisition of a 300-ton travel lift last year. This new asset has allowed the shipyards to work on large vessels, complementing the already operational dry dock.
The Genoa-based shipyard proudly holds three certifications – environmental, quality, and workplace safety – because excellence begins with respect for workers and the environment. This too is love and passion.
Charting the Future of Refits
Looking more prospectively at the refit sector, Montaldo maintains an optimistic outlook for the future.
While the growth of the global fleet is a positive signal, the owner of the shipyards “firmly believes that professionalism will be the true differentiator”.
With over three decades of experience in the industry, Montaldo knows that sometimes, to maintain excellence, it’s worth surpassing customer expectations and, on occasion, regretfully turning down certain projects.
As the Sestri Naval Shipyards sail towards the future, their commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction remains a cornerstone.
This steadfast commitment has brought them to the forefront of the shipbuilding industry.