Fiera Nautica di Sardegna 2026: Porto Rotondo hub for export, innovation and market growth

The Fiera Nautica di Sardegna, a nautical boat show, returns to Porto Rotondo from May 7 to 12 with a fifth edition that marks a further step in the event’s evolution. No longer just a product exhibition, but a structured platform for industrial promotion, networking and the international positioning of Sardinian yachting.

Data confirm the expansion: around 200 boats on display and more than 150 stands, with participation covering the entire supply chain, from artisanal production to shipyards, as well as services and components. An offering that also targets end users, with the opportunity to evaluate new units in the water, compare solutions and engage directly with shipyards in an operational setting.
From an exhibition standpoint, the organization has introduced a category-based layout, including an institutional area dedicated to consortia and public entities. The use of floating platforms allows for a continuous route on the water, improving usability and integration between docks and water areas.

Alongside the commercial component, the fair consolidates its role as a sector discussion hub. The programme of talks addresses key topics: training, skills development, internationalization, investment attraction, innovation and sustainability.
The involvement of the Universities of Cagliari and Sassari, together with local training institutions, highlights the aim of strengthening the link between the production system and human capital, a strategic factor for supply chain development.

The event takes place within a regional context characterized by significant growth dynamics. According to Ice-Istat data processed by the CIPNES Gallura Research Centre, Sardinian nautical exports reached €43.5 million in 2025, marking a 47% increase compared to 2024 and the highest value in recent years.
This result reflects a progressive opening to international markets, with the United States, Libya and France among the main destinations. These figures contribute to redefining the role of yachting within the regional economy: increasingly less tied to tourism and more recognized as a structured industrial sector. In this scenario, the Porto Rotondo fair becomes one of the operational tools through which the region promotes its expertise and strengthens its competitive positioning.

The strategy is supported by CIPNES Gallura in synergy with the Regione Sardegna and is articulated across multiple levels: supply chain development, specialized training, investment attraction and internationalization.
In this direction also fall initiatives presented in international contexts such as Milan Design Week, where Sardinia’s role as a Mediterranean hub for superyachts and private aviation, as well as an emerging blue economy centre, has been highlighted.

The connection with the territory remains a defining element of the event. Participation criteria include a production presence in Sardinia, a choice aimed at strengthening the local supply chain and promoting “Made in Sardinia” within the national system.
Consortia and industrial players from different areas of the island are involved, from Gallura to Ogliastra and Porto Torres.

At an institutional level, the centrality of the sector has been reiterated by regional and local representatives, who see yachting as a driver of economic, infrastructural and employment development. At the same time, the need to balance industrial growth with environmental sustainability is emphasized, a theme that is increasingly relevant also in competitive terms.

For industry operators, the fair represents a meeting point between demand and supply, as well as an opportunity to understand the sector’s evolving trajectories: from energy transition to new technologies and supply chain organization models.

For the public, it remains a concrete opportunity to engage directly with the product, evaluate new boats and understand the evolution of the offering in a real operational context.

Overall, the fifth edition of the Fiera Nautica di Sardegna confirms the transition from an exhibition event to an integrated platform, where industry, training and market converge. An evolution consistent with the growth path of Sardinian yachting, increasingly integrated into international dynamics and increasingly relevant within the regional production system.

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