A corporate crew returns to Trieste

Fincantieri is participating in Barcolana 58 with its VOR60 racing yacht named DOERS ON BOARD, sailed by an all-employee team. The Italian shipbuilding group announced its second consecutive appearance on 9 October 2026.

The programme includes the Barcolana, Trofeo Bernetti and Barcolana Maxi races. The boat, from the Volvo Ocean Race 60-foot class, measures approximately 18.3 metres and therefore falls within LYG's yacht-size boundary.

A sailing project for employee development

The DOERS ON BOARD initiative uses racing as a setting for team-building and leadership development across different Fincantieri sites. Crew members need to coordinate tasks, share information and react quickly to changing conditions.

These requirements have parallels with industrial shipbuilding, where specialists work together under demanding schedules and quality controls. The company presents the sailing programme as a practical learning experience rather than a conventional leisure benefit.

Hundreds of employees involved

Fincantieri says more than 340 employees had already participated in associated activities during 2026, with over 500 expected to take part across the year's training programme. The figures cover the broader initiative, not crew members aboard the race yacht in a single event.

The participation programme travels along the Italian coast and brings together people from different departments and group companies. This can encourage relationships that would otherwise remain confined within their usual workplaces.

Challenges aboard an ocean-racing hull

A VOR60 is a purpose-built racing yacht with demanding handling requirements and a layout unlike a comfortable family cruiser of similar length. Safe operation depends on trained watchkeepers and clear allocation of responsibilities.

Crew participation in a corporate programme does not remove the need for competent sailing professionals and appropriate risk controls. The excitement of racing should be balanced with preparation and the operating limits of the boat.

Recognition beyond the race course

Fincantieri says the initiative received a leadership-category award at the Best HR Team 2026 event organised by HRC Community. This recognition relates to its workforce-development approach rather than a trophy won by the VOR60 on the water.

The long-term value of the project will depend on how lessons from the programme are incorporated into day-to-day teamwork. An award alone cannot prove measurable improvements in productivity or safety.

The October event and what remains unknown

The confirmed news is Fincantieri's participation, the employee crew and the structure of its training initiative. Race results will need to be established through official standings after competition rather than assumed from the company's announcement.

For yacht readers, DOERS ON BOARD offers a distinctive example of a shipbuilding organisation using a qualifying mid-sized race yacht to develop collaboration and leadership. Any operational claims must be evaluated against the specific vessel and its documented engineering.