Brindisi capital of boating: the Puglia Boat Show returns

SNIM, the Puglia Boat Show, is preparing to experience its twenty-first edition, confirming itself as one of the most important trade fair events in the boating sector at the national level, with particular reference to the South and the Adriatic side of our peninsula.

Scheduled in Brindisi from October 9 to 13, the event was presented this morning in Bari at a press conference specifically convened at the Confindustria headquarters.

Present were the President of Confindustria Bari-Bat Mario Aprile, the President of SNIM Giuseppe Meo, the President of the Nautical District of Puglia Giuseppe Danese, the Regional Tourism Assessor Gianfranco Lopane, the Regional Assessor for Vocational Training Sebastiano Leo, the marketing manager of Banca Popolare Pugliese Alessio Dragone, the CEO of BTM Italia Nevio D'Arpa, and the President of the 8th zone of FIV Alberto La Tegola.

After the greetings from President Aprile, who emphasized the importance of events like this to highlight maritime policies in a region like Puglia, President Meo reiterated the strategic importance of SNIM, thanks to which Brindisi confirms itself as the capital of Boating in Puglia. An event from which – as Meo reiterated – important messages about innovations in the sector, developments in the industry, employment opportunities, and the enhancement of strengths in our region such as nautical tourism and shipbuilding emerge every year.

The goal is to initiate a unified path to define shared maritime policies, capable of enhancing a heritage that has so far been little exploited and opening new prospects for economic and employment development for the South.

The Marina di Brindisi Tourist Port is expected to host the major shipyards in the country.

The quality of the exhibitors and the wide range of training offerings proposed testify to the strategic importance of the event not only from a commercial point of view but also as a meeting point for innovation and development in the boating sector. The program includes numerous moments of discussion on strategic issues: from training, which in Puglia represents an excellence in the sector, to tourist port facilities, with the creation of a permanent table with operators, up to sustainability and innovation in shipbuilding.

<<This year SNIM – announced Giuseppe Meo – grows by 30% in the exhibition of boats and components. And then there are, in terms of innovations, the topics that will be addressed ranging from training (with the presence of Minister Valditara on Friday, October 10), to innovations in shipbuilding, starting from the projects presented for new constructions in Brindisi, to nautical tourism, with the illustration of the work we are doing to make new infrastructure investments easier and faster>>.

<<Boating in Puglia continues to grow – stated Danese – and the proof lies in the 35% increase in turnover in the sector at the regional level. In this context, SNIM represents the most important moment of the year as there is the opportunity to demonstrate the quality of the work done and also to reap the rewards, given that the Brindisi event is a reference point for a clientele ranging from a few tens of thousands of euros to millions of euros>>.

<<Boating is increasingly taking on an important role in the economic and tourist context of Puglia – stated Assessor Lopane – with significantly important repercussions. And this is why we continue to support an event of great relevance like SNIM>>.

<<I believe that Brindisi, also thanks to the prominence taken on in recent years by SNIM – said Assessor Leo – deserves even greater attention because there are all the conditions to assert itself in a Mediterranean context. For this reason, important initiatives like this Boat Show must be complemented by equally important investments to enhance training, activating paths that respond to market needs>>.

The 21st edition also marks the collaboration with BTM Italia (Business Tourism Management), to strengthen the link between boating and tourism.

<<Supporting an event of this magnitude – declared Nevio D'Arpa, CEO & Founder of BTM Italia – means highlighting the importance of nautical tourism, further shining a light on the tourist destination, attracting foreign visitors, strengthening local reputation globally, and fostering openness to new markets. Moreover – he added – it can be a great driver to create new job opportunities>>.

Delegations from numerous European and Mediterranean countries will participate in the exhibition, aiming to strengthen the internationalization process of Italian companies in the sector. The awarding of the National Nautical Sector Excellence is also planned, along with initiatives dedicated to sports and maritime culture that will involve schools and associations.

<<With our Boat Show – continued Meo – the sea becomes increasingly a protagonist of the economic and employment growth processes of Puglia and, in particular, of the City of Brindisi. All this is the result of the commitment through which we bet on the 'blue economy' when very few believed in it. Obviously, we are firmly determined not to stop at the results achieved so far. The next edition will set new records, both for the number of boats and shipyards present and for the importance of the topics we will address in the broad section dedicated to the sector to discover further potential and lay the foundations for the economic and employment relaunch of our territory>>.

The Puglia Boat Show will celebrate its 21st edition in Brindisi, at the tourist port “Marina di Brindisi”, from October 9 to 13, 2025. It is known to be one of the most important sector appointments at the national level (with great growth prospects also internationally) and certainly an essential reference point for the central-southern regions. Organized with the sponsorship of Confindustria Nautica, Assonautica Italiana and thanks to the presence of the most important national shipyards, the event aims to promote dialogue on the blue economy and the central role of the nautical and maritime supply chain, which represents a driving force for economic development both for the Puglia Region and for our South, as well as for the entire Country System.

This year it will benefit from the full collaboration of ICE/ITA (Agency for the promotion abroad and the internationalization of Italian companies) for the definitive internationalization of this important trade fair event of the Italian nautical sector. The presence of operators from countries of great relevance for the growth possibilities of Italian companies in the sector, such as Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Germany, France, Spain, Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, is indeed announced.

The exhibition area of the Boat Show extends over 20,000 square meters and allows for the exhibition of about 300 boats at sea and on land, including the yachts of the most important national companies.

Supported and sponsored by the Puglia Region, the Municipality of Brindisi, the Province of Brindisi, the Brindisi/Taranto Chamber of Commerce, the Southern Adriatic Sea Port Authority, the ASI Consortium, Confindustria Nautica, and Ita (Italian Trade Agency) and all local associations, it registers valuable collaboration with Grimaldi Lines, Alis, Grimaldi Brindisi, Range Rover, Seiko.

Numerous moments of in-depth analysis are also scheduled, as during the days of the Boat Show, strategic issues of great relevance will be addressed, such as training (which in the nautical sector counts Puglia among the national excellences precisely thanks to the activities carried out by SNIM), tourist port facilities (in Puglia, SNIM and the Puglia Region are launching a permanent table with sector operators), sustainability, and innovative shipbuilding. All this will take place in the presence of prominent representatives of the national government, as well as the Southern Regions with which, precisely thanks to the initiatives taken in recent months by SNIM, the prerequisites are being built to streamline authorization processes and therefore achieve a considerable increase in berths (both at sea and on land), which represents the starting point for a further phase of development of shipbuilding.

Furthermore, during the days of the Boat Show, the “Project South” will take shape, in which representatives from the Regions and the productive world of Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, and Sicily will be able to initiate a unified path aimed at launching maritime policies, with the clear intent of decisively focusing on a wealth that has been so little exploited until today.

Another important section present, in collaboration with the main federations and sports associations, will be dedicated to sports and maritime culture, which will see the participation of the school world.

On the same occasion, the awarding of the “Excellences of the national nautical sector” will take place, a well-deserved recognition for those who are contributing to the extraordinary growth of Italian boating.

Brindisi, in short, will be the capital of Italian boating to achieve important goals.