Diego Michele Deprati
Chief Executive Officer, Baglietto
Diego Michele Deprati
Chief Executive Officer, Baglietto
Sustainability is at the forefront of our activities these days, and today approximately 20% of our newbuilding orders are equipped with hybrid propulsion. We predict over the next two to three years this percentage will increase significantly as the yard launches a growing number of these yachts and customers really get to experience their reliability.
This is very important. Customers must feel confident in the new technology. By delivering practical working examples that can be observed and verified, these alternative technologies will become more appealing to customers.
For the majority of yacht owners today, there is a still a slight hesitancy when it comes to alternative propulsion, particularly given the higher costs. Certainly, there are some buyers who are very sensitive to ecological issues who are acting as ‘first movers’, adding new technologies to their newbuilding contracts which range from hybrid engines to fuel batteries to ecosustainable materials. However, for many people, the practical aspects of alternative propulsion still predominate, both in terms of time and money. At least, that is our perception of the market.
Baglietto is scheduled to deliver a 52m battery-powered hybrid yacht at the end of 2022, and we are already working on a new hydrogen propulsion system, the BZero project.
This project is in partnership with RINA which will certify a Memorandum of Agreement between ourselves and four other partners to create a prototype system for ‘virtuous cycle’ energy. The system would use sea water and solar energy from a PV system to produce hydrogen.
The prototype will be manufactured with exactly the same features and components as the final system, and we hope to have a fully functional prototype to scale ready by end of 2022. After that, the aim is to have the first application of this technology on the water by 2026, and we are already working to install it on one of our 52 metre hull yachts.
The industry as a whole is clearly in a great era of transition, but challenges remain. Significant progress has been made towards sustainability but there is still a large margin for fine-tuning and finishing. Launching a fully hydrogenpowered boat tomorrow, for example, would not be advisable. Instead, a gradual shift is needed so that supply chains can be created. This is why we are not planning the first yacht of this kind until 2026.
The transition has to be reliable, and it will take time. We need to start with hybrid propulsion, and the ‘green’ element of this propulsion should be effective and autonomous at relatively low performance speeds of 8-10 knots per hour. Supply chains are not ready for anything more today.
When it comes to these and other types of projects, we have a special relationship with RINA. We really appreciate the open dialogue we have with the company, particularly in the early stages of a project, when the planning and shaping of a mission can save a lot of time later on. Working in a team with shipyards and designers, RINA’s proposals really add value. Overall, we can say that the
real value is not in the certification but in the expert planning and guidance that comes before.
Perhaps surprisingly, COVID has given an impetus to these technological developments. The pandemic has increased demand and our order book has tripled compared to 2019. In fact, there is more demand than we can meet. And although the pandemic is an anomaly, we do not predict a downturn once the virus has receded in 2-3 years. We think the market will plateau but not decline.
Our shipbuilding range starts from entry level yachts of approximately 38m, reaching up to around 65m. At the moment, we are working on two lines with a high level of customization: one light 41m yacht (DOM Line) and one steel hulled 52m (T52Line) yacht, and our orderbook is divided roughly 50/50 between the two designs in addition to custom production which is still important for us. This
reflects the shipyard’s amazing flexibility and the outstanding building quality and capacity which can transform customers’ dreams into reality.
The era of gigayachts is fading and generally the limit nowadays is around 50-60m. This size matches the ecosustainable needs of the market. For 10 people to go to sea, 50m is enough. There is no need to build a floating city! We believe the industry will remain centred on the sizes between 50-60m.
The yachting industry needs to stay one step ahead. It is a product based on elegance and luxury but at its heart is the engine. We want to create a technological product of the same high standard which respects the environment while providing owners with a home away from home.
We also want to give our beautiful blue waters a slight tint of ‘green’ by adding the very best eco products and technologies!
BIOGRAPHY
Diego Michele Deprati was born in Savona in 1963. He completed his training at the Naval Academy in 1984, and in 1991 joined Mondo S.p.A. in Gallo d’Alba (CN) as Technical
Officer. Ten years later he was entrusted with the management of the start-up and development phases of the new Mondomarine S.p.A. in Savona where he led the transformation of a small yard of naval repairs into a shipyard building new yachts, gradually increasing the workforce and satellite activities. In 2012 he was appointed to lead the relaunch of the historic brand Baglietto, and at the same time took command of Cerri Cantieri Navali (CCN), overseeing its expansion and growth. Here he built the first hybrid-powered yacht in Italy to earn the “Hybrid” certification by the Lloyd’s Register of Shipping. In 2020 he was assigned the task of directing the merger of CCN into Baglietto, of which he is currently in charge.
