Towards an Unified Yacht Code: Operational Perspective

Laura Occhiodoro is a highly experienced Managing Engineer at RINA Services S.p.a, with over 20 years of experience in naval architecture and ship engineering. Since 2004, Laura has held various pivotal roles focused on plan approval, safety, and certification of commercial and pleasure yachts.

Her early career involved the examination and approval of safety plans for ships, with a strong focus on SOLAS regulations, fire protection, and means of escape. From 2005 to 2010, she specialized in the safety and systems approval for pleasure and commercial units. She also actively contributed to international working groups for yachting standards development.

Between 2012 and 2014, Laura managed the Italian Yachting Centre, overseeing plan approvals and coordinating RINA operational network of yachting survey stations in Italy. As head of the Pleasure and Small Craft Technical Function from 2014 to 2020, she led the development of new RINA rules and training programs on yachts and small vessels, including new requirements for glazing.

Since 2020, Laura has expanded her role as Yachting Excellence Managing Engineer, guiding regulatory compliance, collaborating on legislative frameworks, and leading the development of RINA’s yacht classification rules. 

She has actively followed the development of individual flag state codes, providing comments and suggestions to Flag Administrations and conducting comparative analyses of their various requirements.

From 2025, she has been a technical member for RINA of YSEC (Yacht Classification Society Consortium), contributing to the development of practical tools for interpreting yachting regulations. She is also actively involved in national and international initiatives shaping the future of yacht classification and safety regulations.

After graduating from university, Julian joined Lloyds Register in 2004 as a Surveyor in the Yacht and Special Service Craft Department. In 2014, he joined the Fire and Safety plan approval department as Lead Specialist (Yachts) and was responsible for the appraisal of plans and documentation for various superyacht projects up to 150m LOA. In 2017, he joined the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry and is now responsible for safety and compliance related matters from both a new build and in-service perspective specialising in pasenger yachts and alternative fuels. He also acts in the capacity of Code Secretariat for the REG Yacht Code and particpates in various industry working groups regarding regulatory development. Julian is a Chartered Engineer and a Member of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects. 

Swiss-born Daniel Küpfer began his seafaring career in 1989 on classic tall ships before serving on cargo, passenger and private vessels. After studying nautical science at the University of Applied Sciences in Bremen, he earned his Master Mariner license in 1999. That same year, he returned to private yachting as captain of a 52m yacht and later managed family-owned vessels. He went on to establish the yacht management division of a leading brokerage firm, overseeing projects up to 160 metres and implementing ISM, ISPS, and MLC compliance systems. In 2011, he launched its crew management division. As Managing Director and Board Member, he introduced QMS, GDPR and AML/KYC standards and led OECD-compliant audits. From 2020 to 2023, Daniel chaired the MYBA Yacht Management Committee and continues to serve as a consultant to the association. In 2024, he founded the yacht management and consulting firm YANOVA.