Benetti

During World War II, the yard built medium-sized military vessels in steel, but due to highly effective bombing, the production was severely limited. After the war, and with restrictions on Italy on what she could produce militarily, the yard produced the first steel-hulled diesel powered vessel in the locality, the "Raphaelo". In 1954, Fratelli Benetti split its sailing and yacht business (Gino's family),[1] from the commercial ship building business which continues under the name M&B Benetti (Emilio's family). Emilio has a holding in both companies, and chairs both companies.

In 1963, Emilio died and the running of Fratelli Benetti was taken over by Gusieppe and his son Lorenzo. Lorenzo was the driver of the yacht business, moving instantly from wooden to steel construction, and designing three styles of yacht which brought the name Benetti to the world: the Delfino, the Tirreno and the Meditteraneo lines (from 18 to 33 metres). Demand for these vessels outstripped the capabilities of the yard. In 1978, the yard launched the "Viano", a sailing yacht which on corrected times won the Admirals Cup. In 1979, the yard launches "Nabila" for Adnan Khashoggi, which at 83 metres and 2,465 tonnes was the largest yacht of its time.

Lorenzo died in 1980 and the company fell into financial difficulties until 1984, when it was purchased by Paolo Vitelli, the owner of Azimut, who renamed it Benetti Shipyard.[1][2] In 1988, Benetti built a ship to challenge for the transatlantic Blue Riband award but its efforts proved unsuccessful. The company is now part of the Azimut I Benetti group, also owner of Fraser Yachts.[4]

Viareggio is the historical shipyard, in 1990 Benetti took over the 47,000sq m Lusben yard to allow the construction of both the Azimut range up to 100 ft, and the composite Benetti range and in 1997 was vastly expanded to 10,000 square metres (12,000 sq yd) to allow indoor building of yachts up to 70 m. In 2003 was acquired the area of the SEC yard which went bankrupt in the previous years in order to expand the production.

The company purchased the Siar-Moschino yard in Fano in 1998, taking the total capacity to 44,000 square metres (53,000 sq yd). The yard has a 60 m wharf in the port.

Benetti Livorno shipyard toward Morosini Marina

Azimut-Benetti acquired the Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando in 2003 when the Livorno yard was in severe economic difficulties. The old shipyard has been partially demolished to make space for a residential and commercial area named Porta a Mare (Gate to sea), the part toward the entrance of the harbour was transformed with the construction of six huge sheds were to laid down the yachts. The Morosini slip was dismantled and was erected a Marina where to berth the yachts built. Benetti Livorno shipyard has a covered area of 30,000 sq m, a production area of 28,000 sq m, an open area of 130,000 sq m and a total area of 190,000 sq m.

Benetti built hundreds of yachts over the years.[6] Below is a list of selected Benetti yachts:

Benetti yacht Kingdom 5KR, built as Nabila

Benetti have built super yachts for many customers, including:

• Nabila for Adnan Khashoggi
• Galkynyş for the government of Turkmenistan, to be used as a Presidential yacht by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow
• Reverie for Kjell Inge Røkke
• Lionheart for the Monaco based British retail entrepreneur Philip Green
• ”Illusion V” now owned by the Mata family and also available for charter.