Seaquip 2026 programme finalised with New Zealand catamarans and anti-foul tech

Seaquip 2026, the B2B Mediterranean Yacht and Marine Equipment Trade Fair, has finalised its programme, organisers confirmed in programme materials ahead of the show scheduled to run 4 to 6 March at Rho Fiera in Milan. The first edition is built as a compact, technical trade platform and the Seaquip website carries the full conference programme for attendees planning schedules around the three-day event.

The Seaquip 2026 conference programme will consist of eight sessions covering a variety of topics, the programme notes state; those sessions are grouped into technical sessions and expert-led panels aimed at delivering practical and operational insights. Conference organisers describe the agenda as offering “valuable opportunities to analyse product and process innovations, exchange views with peers on specific topics, and establish new connections within the nautical supply chain,” signalling a clear operational focus for yard technical teams and supply-chain buyers.

The opening of the event will be entrusted to Pierpaolo Ponchia, managing director of Easyfairs Italy, who will deliver the inaugural speech on the morning of 4 March 2026, according to event materials. One of the headline presentations is from the R&D department of Azimut‑Benetti Group, led by chief product officer Alessandro Rossi, which will outline the yard’s research and development activities; the programme links Rossi’s session with Azimut‑Benetti’s reported revenues of €1.5bn in the last nautical year, a figure likely to draw attention from investors and competitor yards attending Seaquip.

Industry commentary ahead of the launch has framed Seaquip as proving its relevance well before opening day, and organisers have emphasised the trade fair’s technical remit to attract manufacturers, component suppliers and naval architects. The compact eight-session format and the inclusion of major yard R&D material position Seaquip as an event focused on actionable takeaways rather than broad consumer exhibition programming.

Parallel trade-show developments include a sector update that New Zealand-built boats will headline new debuts at the 25th Auckland Boat Show, suggesting a busy global trade season with product launches spanning Milan and Auckland. On the technology front, Propspeed has announced FoulFree, described as a new multi-surface protection system and promoted with imagery of waves in the background, an example of anti-foul and surface-protection tech likely to feature in stand-level demonstrations.

With the inaugural speech set for the morning of 4 March and eight technical sessions packed into three days at Rho Fiera, Seaquip’s first edition aims to give professional attendees a concise programme of R&D insight, product innovation and supply-chain networking in a single, business-focused calendar slot.