Today the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, arrived at the CRN shipyard at 5:30 pm, ahead of schedule, accompanied on his visit to the Marches Region by his wife Clio.
On hand to welcome the President was the Chairman of the Ferretti Group, Norberto Ferretti, as well as the Chairman of CRN, Lamberto Tacoli, and the President of the Ancona Port Authority, Giovanni Montanari.
President Napolitano, escorted by the leading regional and local authorities, visited the production facilities used by the CRN shipyard for its 40 and 43-metre composite vessels, as well as those for the steel mega-yachts currently under construction at lengths of 57, 58, 60 (no fewer than two vessels at this length) and 72 metres, giving him the opportunity to greet the numerous guests in attendance on this important occasion.
Standing at the base of a massive 72-metre construction destined to become the new flagship of the CRN fleet, Norberto Ferretti opened the event by offering a special welcome to the illustrious guest. Speaking after Mr. Ferretti, and with no small amount of feeling, Lamberto Tacoli stressed the excellence of the nautical industry, in which Italy is a world leader. "Success does not arrive by chance, but as the result of noteworthy effort that combines culture, tradition, an exceptional labour force, farsighted business practices, major investments, courage and, most importantly, dedication and sacrifice". He further explained, "There are noteworthy points of similarity between politics and shipbuilding. Projects are drawn up and timetables are formulated so that the ultimate goals may be met. In our case, coalitions are the strategic working relationships we maintain with our suppliers, while the launching of the ships, the event that caps off so much hard work and dedication, can be likened to the passing of laws". In a final note, Mr. Tacoli depicted the nautical industry as an opportunity closely tied to tourism, and one which our country cannot afford to neglect.
Speaking along the same lines, Giovanni Montanari, President of the Port Authority, observed that: "Ancona, the Marches and all of Italy can realistically work towards a revival of this port, which can and must become a "Port of Many Peoples", benefiting from the culture of multiethnic exchange made inevitable by rise of globalisation. The ultimate goal is to make the port a destination for flows of tourism, trade and production, in addition to promoting a new model for compatibility between the city and the port".
In an unscheduled surprise, President Napolitano closed the event with some brief but meaningful words, emphasising that the excellent results of the Marches Region should serve as an example for all of Italy. The President expressed his concern for, but also his underlying confidence in, the country’s future, thanks precisely to enterprises such as CRN. He further highlighted the importance of the critical problem of working conditions and safety, expressing the hope that the various social partners will accelerate the process leading to formulation of a legislative text safeguarding life and wellbeing at work.
For CRN, the President’s visit was a great source of pride, as well as a much welcome input, all of which is sure to assist the company in continuing along the path of innovation which has allowed CRN to operate as a leader in the nautical industry, combining shipbuilding craft with the design elegance and prestige typical of all "Made in Italy" products.