The Amerigo Vespucci, the Navy's training ship, set off today from the port of Genoa on a round-the-world voyage, becoming an ambassador for Made in Italy for the occasion.
An adventure that will last just under two years and will end in February 2025, with the return to the base in La Spezia, after having traveled approximately 40.000 nautical miles. This is the second round-the-world trip in the history of the sailing ship, after the one completed between 2002 and 2003, and it recovers the trip initially planned in 2020 and postponed due to the pandemic.
31 stops are planned in 28 countries, touching five continents. A large representation of the government will greet the new mission, with ministers Guido Crosetto, Francesco Lollobrigida, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Daniela Santanchè, Andrea Abodi and the deputy minister Edoardo Rixi. Also present will be the governor of Liguria, Giovanni Toti, and the mayor of Genoa, Marco Bucci.
In the afternoon, the Vespucci ship will also be greeted at sea by some vessels involved in the Grand Finale of the Ocean Race, with the flyover of the Frecce Tricolore. Among the sailing ship's missions, in addition to the traditional training of Navy students, to take the candidacy of Italian cuisine as an intangible heritage of UNESCO around the world and to collect valuable data for research by the University of Genoa and the Navy's Hydrographic Institute.
During the ceremony, Lieutenant Michele Saverese, who lost his life during training in La Spezia a few hours ago, was also remembered.
Saluted by a flyover by the Frecce Tricolori and a paratrooper launch from the Italian Army's Folgore Brigade, the Vespucci will set sail this afternoon from the Magazzini del Cotone dock in the port of Genoa for a 19-month voyage around the world.
On board for the first time it will also host instruments and researchers from the University of Genoa with a project created in tandem with the Navy Hydrographic Institute and the Navy to promote Italian cuisine as an intangible heritage of UNESCO.
Article published on 1 July 2023 - 15:35
