FERRETTI GROUP WHEN SUSTAINABILITY MEETS LUXURY… OR THE OPPOSITE?
Ferretti Group is a world apart. A group that understands that luxury is beyond all, a lifetime experience. A luxury group leader in sustainability, not the one that follows.
This interview was conducted by Malek SEMAR, WLCC Board Member and Founder of No Water No Us, during Ferretti Group’s Private Preview in Monaco.
A world where an ESG Sustainability Committee plays a strategic and multifunctional role in assisting the Board of Directors in defining and implementing policies and strategies related to environmental, social, and governance aspects. A world where chronic weather events related to climate change, such as rising temperatures, rising sea levels and reduced water availability, can significantly affect business in the long run.
Alberto Galassi is also a CEO apart, a sea lover, for whom the emotions created by the ultra-luxury of Yachting never fade from memory.
I confirm. I piloted the Pershing 911, and the emotion is still intact in my memory. What about the memory of the planet?
Back to my experience during the Ferretti Group’s Private Preview at the Yacht Club Monaco and my interview with its CEO, Alberto Galassi. This event featured a live performance by Simply Red, with a preview of the band’s 40th anniversary world tour.
Ferretti is an Italian boat builder, founded in 1968 in Bologna, specializing in the design, construction, and sale of luxury motor yachts. Their brands are Wally, Ferretti Yachts, Custom Line, Pershing, Itama, Riva, Mochi Craft and CRN. Ferretti Group has proven its global presence in luxury yachting by winning six prestigious awards at the World Yachts Trophies 2025, held at the Cannes Yachting Festival’s conclusion.
Sustainability? This year, in Monaco, customers were right: sustainability is being discussed more on the docks than ever before. Ferretti Group is innovating to offer a more sustainable sailing experience in response to increasing environmental expectations from customers and regulations. Each superyacht that goes to sea is a new step towards sustainability and they are proud to announce that they are the first company in the sector to start publishing sustainable development reports since 2019.
Electrification has become the alternative propulsion method for the automotive industry. If this starts with the motorboat class – with the Riva El-Iseo from Ferretti – it seems less practical in superyachts. The use of materials also contributes significantly to the environmental footprint of a superyacht’s life cycle. The regulation to decarbonize the sector is overdue and the rules aimed at limiting maritime emissions are mainly focused on larger ships such as tankers, so there are very few requirements regarding superyachts. In this context, reducing the environmental impact of superyachts is currently a matter of conscience for those at the top of the industry. Ferretti seems to me to be a pioneer.
“Any yachting person that I know respects the sea more than you can imagine,” Shared Alberto Galassi; “So the clients are happy that we are in that direction .”
Ferretti’s name is associated with the centuries-old Italian maritime tradition, which is characterized by a keen sense of taste and design. The group has consistently understood that a leader in luxury yachting should also be a leader in protecting the environment; they have committed themselves to pursuing innovative and ecological projects for a long time.
In 2008, Ferretti introduced a pioneering hybrid propulsion solution and collaborated with Rolls-Royce Power Systems to develop hybrid solutions. The group is continuously searching for innovative solutions that utilize eco-friendly and lighter materials to reduce the environmental impact. The launch of their first Riva full-electric powerboat is a good example. The Group’s commitment to ESG extends beyond its product offerings and includes the adjustment of all shipyards to ISO 14001:2015 environmental certification.
“It is a moral duty that, in my opinion, is more important than any regulation,” said Alberto Galassi. “No one is putting pressure on us, it’s just that we have to do it, we want to do it.”
“The boats need to be beautiful because it is a golden rule: BEAUTY ATTRACTS BEAUTY “
MALEK SEMAR: Moving from the air to the water. From Piaggio Aerospace to Ferretti Group. What brought you to the water and yacht industry?
ALBERTO GALASSI: Water has always been present in my life. Since 1974, I have been cruising because my father owned a small fiberglass boat, and I am totally obsessed with the boat. If you keep me on the beach, I would become a lost animal. I need to be in the water, whether it is a windsurf or a canoe, whether it is a tender or anything that floats. Floating is necessary for me. I am unable to stay on the sand. I must be in the water.
MS: Can you provide our readers with a personal story about water? It is not necessarily the best, but the most valuable experience or souvenir.
AG: The most memorable moment was when we purchased the first Riva 44 Rivarama with the family in 2008 to embark on a cruise. This boat is small and flies fast. At that time, we had a house in Capri. Our love for Sardinia led us to cruise on a 44-footer from Sardinia to Capri. But the boat was the wrong one, so we had to stop in Ponza because of the limited range. The beauty of a boat is what matters when buying it, not its range. We realized that we should go to something big a little bit later. So, I understood the power of emotion when buying and designing a boat. The boats need to be beautiful because it is a golden rule: beauty attracts beauty.
MS: Ferretti Group complies with all worldwide regulations in sustainability. Luxury must be a leader in sustainability and not one that follow. It is not easy to invest in sustainable projects while profit is still made in non-sustainable projects. How do you plan to link business and climate change?
AG: More light materials! The truth is said by the market itself; you can’t put a gun in the customer’s head and say they must go electric. There is no way. But you can convince the client that it is worth spending an extra cost to be as compliant as you can be. The biggest difference between the automotive industry and our industry is that we don’t have a government pushing us towards change within 2030. Now, I don’t know if it is 2035 or 2040. At Ferretti Group, we are doing it because we want to do it. There’s a huge difference. Our investment is motivated by our desire to do it. We don’t have the Italian government telling us that we have to be electric by 2030, like in the automotive industry or have zero emissions by 2035. We are doing our best, spending millions of euros to propose and submit to the client solutions that work, give range, endurance, and sustainability for themselves.
“Our clients know they will spend more, but they feel like they are ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BILLBOARDS .”
Because you want to feel that you are compliant and maybe a little bit above and ahead of everyone else. That is the beauty of sustainability in our industry. When you can convince a client that it is worth to spend for this material, for this generator, for this engine, for this solar panel, for this battery pack, to be, or even hydrogen if they want, to be different and above, and the first. And it works. You must be financially sustainable, otherwise the company will go back, and you cannot push the market where it is not. But if you think sustainable and strive to do the best for sustainability, like a beautiful 110-foot sailboat, you are sending a message. Our clients know they will spend more, but they feel like they are on the right side of the billboards.
MS: In the air, planes are experiencing more and more turbulence due to climate change. How do you face the challenges of rising sea levels, rising sea temperatures, storms, and other factors in the next few years with your boat?
AG: Never underestimate the weather forecast. Suddenly, especially in the summer, you can encounter small areas with incredible winds. 10 years ago, if the weather forecast was good, you would go. Now, you must double check carefully what is going on. If you feel that something is changing with thunderstorms around, be very careful. You may lose all the pillows in a second, or objects on board may hit people. You have to be very careful. Use the electronics to make predictions. All the systems onboard are available and you have the option to add two or three apps that are completely different. The captain must be vigilant because the journey can change in a minute.
MS: If you wish to build a yacht but are unable, could you please let me know which one you would like, even though it’s not possible?
AG: I would love to be able to manufacture yachts above 100 meters, but I am not. We can’t play in that championship, and we are limited to 95 meters. We don’t have the technical capabilities, good sites, the engineering department, and the supply chain for that. When I see some beautiful ships, 120 or 130 meters long, with incredible lines and sleekness – Some of them are very sleek – I would love to be able to compete, but I know that I can’t, and I won’t do it.
MS: For No Water No Us ambassadors and followers, can you share your thoughts on how you manage water on the boat? The origin and destination of it after use.
AG: We take the water from the sea. There is a system here for grey and black waters. Nothing goes in the sea. Nothing. We are not that bad at water management onboard.
MS: Alberto, thank you for your warm welcome and our sustainable and enriching conversation.
In the collective mindset, luxury and sustainability are often seen as opposing forces. However, for years now, a new form of luxury has been emerging — one rooted in responsible water use and environment protection. Time is changing, as well as mindsets. Luxury should be a model that has a systematic view of its environmental impacts, not one that follows. Most of the future luxury consumers want committed companies. So, on sustainability, Ferretti Group is ahead of the curve.
You can find more about this inspiring article on the issuu of luxury people magazine : here .
