While much of the boating market is going through a period of adjustment, one of the largest groups in Italian yachting chose Cannes to talk about the future. Cantiere del Pardo, owner of the Pardo Yachts, Grand Soleil Yachts and VanDutch Yachts brands, arrives at the 2026 Cannes Yachting Festival presenting a growth strategy built on three fronts: industrial investment, product development and a closer relationship with its community of owners.
"Our approach is simple: we keep investing today so that we are ready to grow tomorrow," says Marcello Veronesi, CEO of Cantiere del Pardo. According to him, ever since the Oniverse Group took control of the company, it has kept a clear long-term vision, committing significant resources to its plants, its products and its people. "What we are presenting in Cannes is a direct result of that strategy."
A bigger plant in Forlì
A large part of the investment programme is the expansion of production capacity.
The first phase of Cantiere del Pardo's new plant in Forlì, in northern Italy, is due to open by the end of 2026, with the full project scheduled for completion in 2027. The development will add more than 35,000 square metres of production space.
That extra capacity will serve the growth of the group's three brands, Pardo, Grand Soleil and VanDutch, keeping Forlì at the centre of the company's industrial operations and identity.
The investment plan continues in the European spring of 2027 with the opening of the new Launching & Welcome Centre in Marina di Ravenna. Designed for both operational and customer-facing functions, the site will make it possible to launch a significant number of sailing and motor yachts directly from there, and will serve as a base for owners to meet the brands, evaluate models and take sea trials. The idea is to turn what is essentially an operational facility into a hub dedicated to the ownership experience.
Three world premieres in Cannes
Product development is another central part of the strategy, and this year's show brings together three world premieres across the group's brands.
Pardo Yachts unveils the new Pardo GT65, the latest expression of the brand's GT concept. The boat draws on the experience gained with the GT52 and GT75 and on feedback from more than 70 owners, whose input helped shape a layout aimed at the best balance of space, comfort and life on board. Pardo opted for a single, carefully developed interior configuration that makes the most of every square metre, and for a list of essential equipment as standard, with options that let owners tailor the yacht. Cannes also marks the European debut of the Pardo 43 Outboard.
Grand Soleil Yachts, for its part, brings two world premieres to Cannes: the Grand Soleil Plus 80 and the Grand Soleil 60.
The Grand Soleil Plus 80 takes the Plus concept into a new size category, with a higher degree of customisation than the standard line. The Plus line was born as a platform to develop ideas in design, materials and technology, solutions that can later move into the rest of the range. The strategy is already paying off: since the first 72-foot model, launched in 2023, 15 Plus yachts have been delivered to owners in eight countries. A second Plus 80 hull, with a flush-deck configuration, is under construction and should be completed in the coming months.
Grand Soleil's second launch is the Grand Soleil 60, a sailing yacht conceived mainly for long-range offshore cruising. The design combines the brand's performance DNA with features aimed at extended time at sea. Standard equipment includes hydraulic vang and backstay systems, a furling headsail, electronic engine controls at the helm and 1,000-litre fuel and fresh-water tanks, a set-up designed to provide autonomy on longer passages without giving up the sailing feel expected of a Grand Soleil.
A community around the brands
For Cantiere del Pardo, the strategy goes beyond boats. Building for the future also means creating stronger, longer-lasting relationships with owners, and the group keeps investing in events that bring together the communities of its three brands.
In 2026, CdP Week made its debut in Porto Cervo, in Sardinia, joining established gatherings such as the Grand Soleil Cup and the Pardo Rendez-Vous. Together, the events drew several hundred participants. After the success of its first edition, CdP Week returns to Porto Cervo from 9 to 12 June 2027, again in partnership with the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.
Cantiere del Pardo and Luna Rossa: partnership renewed for 2027
The group is also looking ahead to the 38th America's Cup.
Cantiere del Pardo has renewed its partnership with Luna Rossa for a third consecutive edition, on the road to the 2027 America's Cup, which will be held in Naples. And the relationship is moving up a level: the company goes from official supplier to official partner of the Italian team.
The partnership rests on shared values such as Italian excellence, continuous research, performance and innovation. Both organisations have the sea at the heart of what they do, albeit by different routes, and the collaboration will extend across the group's three brands. A selection of boats from Pardo, VanDutch and Grand Soleil will support Luna Rossa on its road to Naples 2027, both for operational activities and hospitality.
With three world premieres, a significant expansion of its industrial footprint and the renewal of its partnership with one of Italy's leading America's Cup teams, Cantiere del Pardo arrives at Cannes 2026 with a declared focus on the future and on strengthening the international position of Pardo Yachts, Grand Soleil Yachts and VanDutch Yachts.
By: Redação Mundo Mar
Photo: Foto: Gianluca Napthalina Camporesi / Grand Soleil Yachts
