Sanlorenzo: Path To The Future

Sanlorenzo is a brand that is world renowned for its forward-thinking way of designing and building boats. It looks to the future, while always honouring its long history and Italian heritage. The incredible growth and success of the Sanlorenzo brand is due greatly to the vision and direction of the company CEO Massimo Perotti. We had the opportunity to interview Mr Perotti about his long-term “Road to 2030” plans for Sanlorenzo and the brand’s growing success in Asia.

Developing products to suit the desires of its discerning clients is something that Sanlorenzo prides itself on. As such, it is working hard to build the next generation of yachts, with exciting new models and innovations. One key driver in this work is sustainability. “In recent years, sustainability has become a primary issue for us in terms of both product development and business management,” says Perotti.

In pursuit of this goal, Sanlorenzo has made several partnerships and announcements around yacht propulsion, including an exclusive partnership with Siemens Energy to build a superyacht model with diesel-electric propulsion, and an agreement with Rolls-Royce to develop a methanol propulsion system [read more about these in the sustainability feature on page 96]. The brand is also investing heavily in its infrastructure and energy efficiency, with the use of solar panels at the Ameglia site being just one initiative in place to reduce emission of greenhouse gases.

The yachts themselves are a tangible demonstration of the yard’s focus. “Technology and sustainability are the main guiding principles of Sanlorenzo’s new decade, and this is embodied in the new models that represent the three pillars of this trend, for which we are making a considerable effort in technological investments,” says Perotti. “The first pillar is our SD90/s model, where the “S” stands for sustainability, with 20% of the materials on board being recycled, low-consumption appliances, and double-chambered glass to prevent heat from entering so as to reduce the use of air conditioning. The second pillar is the BGM75, the Bluegame Multihull from Sanlorenzo Group brand Bluegame: it is a 75ft vessel but being a multihull, it has living spaces equivalent to a 90ft. Comparing fuel consumption at 18 knots for 300 hours of sailing, the multihull saves 175 tonnes of carbon and 66 thousand litres of diesel. Finally, the third pillar of our sustainability strategy is an absolute novelty – we are the first in the world to design and build a 50 metre superyacht that will have fuel cell hotellerie mode, that is the real goal for the recreational vessels of the future. We will see it in the water in the summer of 2024, while for a 100% carbon neutral superyacht the scheduled delivery is 2026.”

Sanlorenzo also continues its open-minded approach with initiatives such as partnerships in the world of art. “The relationship that Sanlorenzo has developed with the art world is a natural consequence of our philosophy, which has always been oriented towards expanding new horizons and taking on ever more interesting challenges,” says Perotti. “After opening our doors to design, we wanted to explore new creative languages that would narrate a different way of experiencing the sea, far removed from what had always been done before, and this choice was a winning one because it has allowed Sanlorenzo to express itself in a totally innovative way.”

The yard is also committed to delivering the highest levels of customer service, ensuring all Sanlorenzo clients receive an exemplary experience. “We have our “high-end services” department that provides a whole range of services to make the life of our owners easier,” explains Perotti. “As an example, this includes the “Sanlorenzo charter fleet”, the world’s first mono-brand charter company, and “Sanlorenzo Timeless” a specialised department dedicated to maintenance, refit and refurbishing so that the yachts of our customers may enjoy very special, dedicated and, most of all, expert care.”

It is no surprise that Sanlorenzo yachts have proved extremely popular in Asia, with Simpson Marine’s clients appreciating the timeless and tasteful designs, innovative technologies, and generous spaces on every Sanlorenzo yacht. “The APAC region currently accounts for 16% of our turnover, which has grown consistently over the last few years except for the pandemic-related slowdown, and it remains a promising market,” says Perotti. “In Greater China, in particular, we sell up to 15 yachts on average per year and the affluent clients particularly like the SX line: it is the most favoured because it allows the popular water toys used at sea to be easily carried on the yacht, thanks to the large stern platform.”

With the “Road to 2030” strategy well underway, the coming decade promises to be very exciting for Sanlorenzo indeed. We are proud to work alongside the Sanlorenzo team to continue to grow the brand in Asia and beyond.