RINA Names Maritime Veteran Paolo Moretti as Group CEO

RINA has appointed Paolo Moretti as Group Chief Executive Officer, placing a long-serving maritime executive at the head of the Italian classification, certification and engineering group as it continues its international expansion.

The appointment, announced on 23 October 2026, was made by RINA S.p.A.’s newly constituted board. Moretti, previously the group’s General Manager, will retain that position alongside his new responsibilities as CEO. He succeeds Carlo Luzzatto, who had led the group since December 2023.

Ugo Salerno remains Executive Chairman, responsible for communications and institutional relations. Under the organisational structure outlined in the announcement, Giosuè Vezzuto has succeeded Moretti as CEO of RINA Services, the subsidiary responsible for marine and certification activities. RINA thanked Luzzatto for his contribution without specifying the reason for his departure.

Nearly three decades in maritime services

Moretti’s career spans ship classification, international operations, technical development and commercial leadership. After graduating in naval and maritime engineering from the University of Genoa in 1996, he joined RINA’s classification department in 1997. His early work included supervising cargo and cruise ships in East Asia and Europe.

He became head of the pleasure craft product line in 2007 and General Manager Marine in 2011. His subsequent responsibilities included yachting, naval activities, research and development, and maritime technological innovation. He later served as Executive Vice President for Marine Strategic Development and Chief Commercial Officer, before leading RINA Services from May 2020 to July 2026.

Moretti now takes responsibility for a group whose activities extend across energy, marine, infrastructure and mobility, certification, industry and real estate. RINA employs more than 7,000 people and operates around 200 offices in 70 countries, according to its corporate information accompanying the 2025 results.

Revenue passes €1 billion as the growth strategy advances

RINA reported revenue of approximately €1.03 billion for 2025, up 11% year on year. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 12.5% to €155 million, representing a 15% margin, while net profit reached €39.7 million. The group reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of €246 million and order intake of approximately €346 million.

The expansion has been supported by changes to its capital base. In December 2023, Fondo Italiano d’Investimento completed its entry into RINA’s shareholder structure. The transaction provided for an equity investment of up to €180 million, with Registro Italiano Navale retaining majority ownership. The fund and its co-investors were to acquire a minority interest of up to 33%, while management would hold approximately 3.5%. Luzzatto was formally appointed CEO and General Manager at the same time.

RINA’s strategy announced in 2024 targeted €2 billion in organic revenue and a 20% EBITDA margin by 2030, with acquisitions offering additional growth opportunities. Energy transition, integrated asset management and smart compliance were among its priorities. In its May 2026 results announcement, the group reaffirmed that it was accelerating implementation of the 2030 plan and would pursue targeted international acquisitions.

These plans leave the incoming leadership with a substantial integration task: connecting an expanding range of technical capabilities and acquired businesses with customer demand, while improving the efficiency and profitability of the wider group.

Building a broader marine engineering business

RINA’s maritime expansion has included investment in specialist engineering expertise. In June 2025, it acquired the entire share capital of Finnish naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy Foreship from Vaaka Partners and the company’s managers. The business became part of RINA Consulting.

Foreship’s experience in cruise ship design, energy efficiency and sustainable marine technologies added capabilities relevant to complex conversions, alternative-fuel integration and digital transformation. The acquisition also strengthened RINA’s presence in Northern Europe and extended its international marine consulting offering.

In April 2026, RINA announced the consolidation of its marine consulting teams under the Foreship brand. The combined workforce then exceeded 150 people worldwide, with services spanning vessel design, conversions, energy efficiency, decarbonisation pathways, alternative fuels, digital engineering and lifecycle support. RINA said the integration would preserve technical independence and impartiality through its governance and compliance arrangements.

Taken together, the acquisition and subsequent integration show RINA building its capacity to support the engineering decisions behind fleet renewal and vessel upgrades. Those services address practical questions for owners, from selecting technologies for new ships to assessing modifications to existing tonnage.

Cooperation with China Merchants Energy Shipping

Shortly before announcing the leadership change, RINA disclosed a new cooperation framework with China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES).

Announced on 12 October, the memorandum of understanding builds on the companies’ existing relationship and covers maritime safety, digitalisation, operational improvement and emerging shipping technologies. The partners intend to explore fleet safety and risk management, carbon emissions management, regulatory compliance and data-driven vessel operations.

The proposed work also includes artificial intelligence applications in predictive maintenance, energy efficiency and operational decision-making, alongside research into alternative fuels, smart shipping and automation. The memorandum establishes areas for further cooperation and exploration.

Viewed alongside the Foreship investment, the agreement points to a marine business increasingly connecting safety and compliance with engineering, fuel choices and operational data. For shipowners, that combination is relevant to decisions extending from vessel design through maintenance and day-to-day operation.

In his appointment statement, Moretti identified the priorities ahead as delivering practical results against the group’s strategy, simplifying operations and developing more advanced digital services. His task will be to turn RINA’s accumulated maritime expertise and broader technical resources into services that help customers make and implement those decisions.