Since leaving the port of Livorno on 29 June, the imposing Amerigo Vespucci training ship of the Navy, is sailing the Italian seas. On board the ship, considered the most beautiful in the world, the 2020 education campaign is underway in favor of the officers of the first class of the Naval Academy. Young people who in these days are put to the test in sailing, in some of the most evocative stretches of sea in the Mediterranean and Tyrrhenian.
From the day of her departure, and until next 22 August, when the traditional education campaign ends in Taranto, the ship docks in various Italian ports, for short logistical stops. During these "breaks", in accordance with the tradition of the Navy, the 106 students (104 Italians and 2 foreigners) and the crew members, give life to the solemn ceremony of the lowering of the flag. Following, at dusk, the lighting of the sails with the tricolor. A real spectacle for the eyes of those lucky enough to admire it.
The Amerigo Vespucci and the 2020 campaign dedicated to Italians
The education campaign on board the Vespucci is essential for the training of officer cadets. It is here that these young people develop the values of fidelity, discipline and a sense of duty. In the training moments they work together with the crew to become familiar with the wind, the current, the maneuvering of the sails and the complexity of navigation.
These steps allow officers to learn to face and overcome even the most difficult challenges that life aboard a sailing ship entails. At the end of the first year of studies in the Naval Academy, they receive the "baptism of the sea". This year, the students' activity is dedicated to Italians who have experienced the coronavirus emergency. In order to greet the communities present along the coasts, which are not allowed to approach the ship, the Navy seizes every possible opportunity for close passage.
The Amerigo Vespucci this year is not accessible to the public
Due to the epidemic, the round-the-world tour that the ship was supposed to cover has been canceled. In compliance with anti-contagion regulations, for the first time in history, the ship is not open to the public during stops in port. Neither pupils can have contact with the outside world. However, the Navy allows the virtual visit by means of a special video uploaded to its Youtube channel.
The commander of the Vespucci, Gianfranco Bacchi, directly guides visitors in this unmissable experience on the web. The video allows you to discover many curiosities about the ship and the history of its motto "Not who begins but what perseveres", assigned in 1978. You can also admire the sails, the deck, the marine equipment, the board room and much other.
The oldest ship in the Navy, still in service
The Amerigo Vespucci, designed together with his twin Cristoforo Colombo, by the engineer Francesco Rotundi, was built in 1925. The Cristoforo Colombo entered service in 1928 and was a training ship until 1943. At the end of the Second World War, it was sold to the Soviet Union as damages. The Amerigo Vespucci, launched on February 22, 1931 in the shipyards of Castellammare di Stabia, has always had the main purpose of acting as a "floating school".
The years 1940 (due to war events), 1964, 1973 and 1997 (due to extraordinary works) are an exception. Another characteristic of the sailing ship is that all the commands of the maneuvers that the crew must perform are given with the whistle, known as the “boatswain”.
The sailing ship ambassador of Italian culture
In recent years, Amerigo Vespucci has also been entrusted with the task of ambassador to the sea of Italian art, culture and engineering. The ship has a long history of collaboration with Unicef. Furthermore, on important occasions, it has been present in many ports around the world. We remember the 31st edition of the America's Cup in Auckland (2002) and the 2004 Olympics, in Athens.
In the 2017 education campaign, the ship represented our country and Italian products abroad. Just think of the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation and the Tall Ship Race, the competition for tall-masted sailing ships of training ships from around the world. In short, the Amerigo Vespucci is not only the most beautiful ship in the world, but has been the pride of our Navy for 89 years.
(Photo: Nave Vespucci Education Campaign 2020, Facebook page)
