Interview by Stefano Roni - Photographs Gabriele Ancillotti

“A unique place, a precious and exclusive jewel, a true fabbrica italiana delle emozioni – just like my company – where extreme attention to detail, quality, and excellence are the keys to success.” This description of Forte dei Marmi – a place with which one might easily fall in love, just as one might fall in love with a dream yacht – comes from Giovanni Costantino, founder and ceo of The Italian Sea Group (TISG). Proud of its place among the principal international players in the luxury yachting sector and Italy’s top producer of superyachts in excess of 50 meters, tisg operates through the Admiral, Tecnomar, Perini Navi, Picchiotti, and NCA Refit brands at its Marina di Carrara headquarters and at the Viareggio and La Spezia shipyards.
Dr. Costantino, one of the secrets of Forte dei Marmi is the fine balance it has struck between tourist hospitality and environmental quality. How does your group interpret sustainability? “Sustainability has always been one of the pillars of our strategy, at the product level and in terms of reducing our footprint.” Let’s start with the product. “We have been working in this field for years. The 55-meter Admiral Quinta Essentia, launched in 2016, was the first yacht of its size to feature hybrid propulsion.“ And the state of the art today? “We never cease to invest in research and development; we propose ever-larger megayachts with advanced variable-speed Diesel-electric propulsion systems that can optimize consumption and curb emissions, vibrations, and noise pollution. In 2022, we delivered Kensho, a 75-meter motoryacht which has already set the benchmark for sustainable yachting. We just sold our third Admiral, the 53-meter Panorama, and we are now building an 80-meter, an 88-meter, and a 100-meter motoryacht, each equipped with these same avant-garde drives.” Does the yachting world measure sustainability solely in terms of propulsion? “We are just as tightly focused on materials. We use mainly aluminum and steel, two fully-recyclable metals, for building the hulls and the superstructures of our yachts, and we are progressively introducing certified eco-teak, responsibly sourced from strictly-regulated plantations.” How do you reduce your environmental impact at the production level? “At TISG, consumption of energy and water is carefully managed. Plus, we use green energy: in Marina di Carrara, we have completed installation of solar panels on the roofs of our hangars, so covering 25% of our energy requirement and reducing emissions of CO2 by more than 1,000 tons annually. And the energy we purchase to meet the balance of our needs comes only from renewable sources.”