Amico & Co has published its first Sustainability Report, providing a transparent picture of the company’s performance and future goals from an ESG perspective. The document was voluntarily drawn up according to the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and aims to provide a transparent picture of the company’s performance and future objectives. The materiality analysis revealed 10 relevant topics on which the company intends to focus. Among these, particular attention has been and will continue to be given to the development of employees, the growth of the employee sector, the quality and safety of the services offered, and last but not least, economic responsibility in the sense of redistribution throughout the territory. For more than 30 years, Amico & Co has been investing in efficiency through infrastructure, including sheds that confine processing and emissions, allowing it to avoid (in the three-year period 2019-2021 alone) the production of 405 t of CO2eq compared to temporary structures. For the future, the company has set itself several sustainability goals, including the introduction of the separate collection of urban waste from boats in a direct form (today managed internally by Amico), the construction of a 995 kW photovoltaic plant that will self-produce clean energy on site to meet the needs of the shipyard’s facilities and its activities for over 50% (53%) . In addition, it is considering upgrading its work vehicles with electrical solutions, digitising internal communication, and appointing a Sustainability Manager for more effective management of activities with regard to ESG issues. The ESG report was drawn up with the support of AzzeroCO2,
Amico & Co has been ISO 14001 certified (2005) for almost 20 years and has been in compliance with the Single Environmental Authorisation issued by the Metropolitan City of Genoa since 1997. Today, the company looks at the growing attention to ESG issues as a renewed drive to continue its path of optimising the sustainability of its activities, with the aim of creating shared value for the company and the territory, listening to stakeholders’ needs. With the recent commissioning of the new photovoltaic system installed on site, Amico & Co will produce 53% of the energy used by the shipyard and the Waterfront Marina from renewable sources. The largest privately built solar array in a port area in Italy, it develops a total maximum power of about 1MegaWatt peak (MWp), has 1782 solar panels, and occupies an area of about 4300 square metres using the roofs of the shipyard and marina buildings. With this latest investment of around €1mln, Amico & Co takes a further step towards cleaner processes, contributing to the creation of an economic ecosystem that is perfectly compatible with the city, capable of generating value and wealth in the area and qualifying Genoa as an international capital for the operations of super and mega yachts, at the forefront not only in terms of professionalism but also in terms of levels of environmental sustainability.
Key figure takeaways reported for the year 2021:
– Thermal efficiency of the hangars has been measured in 73% savings in terms of consumption
– 405 tonnes of CO2 equivalent saved in the three-year period 2019-2021
– All docks at the shipyard and Waterfront Marina are electrified
– Distributed economic value in 2021 was €54.5mln, representing approximately 90% of the value of production.
“Some dates in particular represent significant milestones in our journey” adds Bruno Guglielmini, Managing Director Amico & Co Spa. “Our first authorisation regarding atmospheric emissions dates back to 1997, issued to us following an on-site discussion with the official body in charge at the time (the Province of Genoa), with whom we identified criteria and reference parameters that did not exist at the time for our type of activity. The authorisation to build and operate a wastewater collection and purification plant followed shortly afterwards. Both now form the core of the Single Environmental Authorisation (AUA), which is constantly updated as our production facilities evolve. In 2005, we obtained the ISO14001 environmental certification, implementing a system of internal procedures to control and improve environmental performance beyond legal obligations. Finally, the adoption of the “231” system since 2022 allows us to further monitor site activities that impact the environment.” “With some pride we can say that since the very start of our activities, with greater intensity since the early 2000s, we have made investments that have gone in the direction of what we now call sustainability – declared Alberto Amico, President of Amico & Co Spa. Our strategy was and is the implementation of work process efficiency, particularly through covered and permanent warehouses and other facility technologies, which guarantee 73% consumption savings when compared to any temporary facility.
Amico & Co’s next challenge has already begun and concerns the application of innovative technologies to refit and the transformation of existing super and mega yachts with the aim of contributing to the ecological transition of the world fleet. “Some projects are already underway: the existing fleet can benefit from projects that reduce energy use on board, in particular from repowering projects with lower emissions and higher energy efficiency, such as hybrid propulsion retrofits,” continues Alberto Amico. “The technology and resources for this transformation are in a phase of strong development; for now, however, the decision to move to this sort of technology lies with yacht owners. Our strategy is to work with new build shipyards and on-board ship systems providers to find ways to transfer new technologies to the existing fleet.”
Superyachts represent an ever-growing market worldwide, with over 5700 units afloat today and a forecast of 7700 in 2030. In this sector Amico & Co confirms its leadership as a refit yard and service hub, with over 130 projects completed every year, 35% of which on vessels over 60 metres in length. A leadership built up over more than 30 years of operations, based on high quality standards, speed of execution and the ability to innovate, and which benefits from the synergy with the professional nautical sector rooted in the surrounding area, confirming the value and strategic potential that the superyacht economy represents in the development of a city that aspires to be excellence in the “blue economy”. According to the sector study conducted in 2022 by The European House – Ambrosetti for Genova For Yachting, in fact, the 2021 total economic impact of the professional nautical industry in Genoa in amounts to €341mln, with an employment impact of more than 2,000 people.
