The round-the-world voyage of the training ship Amerigo Vespucci continues, with the students of the first class of the Naval School on board, this time with a stopover in the Dominican capital.
That’s right, the Amerigo Vespucci ship will dock on August 28 at the “Punta Torrecilla” dock in the port of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on its fifth leg of the Round the World and Instruction Campaign 2023 of the First Class Cadets of the Livorno Naval Academy.
In the Dominican capital, the Vespucci will stop in Santo Domingo until September 2, opening its doors to the local population on the following days and times:
Tuesday, August 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Wednesday, August 30 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 31, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Friday, September 1 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The visit is completely free and no reservations are required.
Confirming the role of the Vespucci Ship as a “Floating Embassy”, on September 1, in the presence of the Ambassador of Italy in Santo Domingo, Stefano Queirolo Palmas, and the First Lady of the Dominican Republic, Raquel Arbaje de Abinader, two agreements will be signed between the Navy and important Non-Governmental Organizations: the Italian-Dominican NGO ‘Visionando’, for the promotion of the knowledge and valorization of the themes of interculturality between peoples and environmental protection, and the ‘Fondazione Francesca Rava – NPH Italia ETS’, committed since 2002 in the Dominican Republic with Shelter Homes for children coming from situations of extreme difficulty and with which the Navy maintains a consolidated relationship of collaboration for the management of emergencies in Italy and in the world, of educational itineraries in the field of maritime education and of health support to countries in difficulty.
As signatories of the documents will be present Admiral Antonio Natale, Commander of the Navy Schools Command, and the lawyers Antonella Succi (President of Visionando) and Mariavittoria Rava (President of the Fondazione Rava-NPH Italia ETS).
The local authorities will be welcomed by lawyer Federica Mondani, advisor to the Minister of Defense, Honorable Guido Crosetto, who will bring the latter’s greetings, recalling the importance of promoting knowledge and intercultural exchange between peoples, respect for human rights and the commitment that the Armed Forces guarantee every day for their protection in the international arena.
Among the activities planned during the stopover, the Italian Ambassador will also be present at a meeting on board with the local press, from 18:00 to 19:00 hours, on August 28.
Other details
The Vespucci Ship, under the command of Captain Luigi Romagnoli, is the Italian Navy’s longest serving unit, with an impressive 92 years of service, and is completing its second round-the-world voyage that will see it at sea for 20 months, visiting 31 ports in 28 different countries.
The ship’s motto, “It is not he who begins but he who perseveres,” a phrase attributed to Leonardo Da Vinci, well represents the ideal that drives the approximately 400 military personnel to sea, including regular crew and Naval Academy students.
The ship was named Unicef “Goodwill Ambassador” on July 30, 2007 in a solemn ceremony held in the port of Genoa. To the Vespucci, Unicef “entrusts a message of peace and hope for the millions of children that Unicef helps spread around the world.”
On July 4, 2016, in Livorno, this appointment was renewed by the National Presidency of UNICEF Italy so that the ship can continue to convey to all and in particular to young people a message of peace, coexistence and mutual respect, without distinction, in the spirit that has animated the organization dedicated to children within the United Nations since 1946, the year of its foundation.
On June 2, 2023, in anticipation of its departure for a round-the-world voyage, the Vespucci received the IMO (International Maritime Organization) flag in London for its sea observation activities and its sustainability and environmental protection initiatives.
Pride and joy of the Italian Navy, the Amerigo Vespucci has carried out training activities every year since its entry into service (with the exception of 1940, due to war events, and on the occasion of extraordinary works), mainly for students of the Italian Naval Academy. Thus, entire generations of officers were trained on a ship whose main propulsion is the most ecological of all: sail propulsion.
When the wind is not favorable, the Diesel-Electric propulsion is activated, which is realized with an integrated system using modern and efficient Diesel-Generator units.
During the Prolongation of Operational Life (PVO) scale of works, which began in October 2013 and ended in April 2016, special attention was paid to the implementation of the latest technologies aimed at energy efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of the vessel.
Source: Diariolibre.com
