Recently, two Italian Navy vessels, the training sailboat Stella Polare and the ship Etna, made significant port calls in Casablanca and Tanger as part of the training campaigns for students from the Naval Academy of Livorno. These visits are not only pivotal for the training of the cadets but also serve to enhance the diplomatic ties between Italy and Morocco, particularly through naval diplomacy in a region where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, highlighting the strategic importance of maritime routes.
A Floating School for Future Naval Officers
During the visit to Casablanca, the Italian Ambassador to Morocco, Pasquale Salzano, boarded the Stella Polare and described it as much more than an exquisite sailing ship; it represents a true "school of the sea and life." This vessel embodies the core values of discipline, duty, teamwork, and service to one’s country, which are essential for the future men and women of the Italian Navy. During his tour, Salzano had the opportunity to meet a cadet from the Naval Academy who was born in Ethiopia and adopted at the age of three by a family in Brescia. This cadet is now preparing to serve Italy in the Navy, symbolizing how a sense of belonging, merit, and state service can unify diverse life paths under one flag.
Ambassador Salzano expressed his gratitude to Captain Michele Erra, the crew, and the students for their warm welcome, emphasizing that the presence of the Stella Polare in Casablanca represents a valuable opportunity to strengthen the friendship between Italy and Morocco through one of Italy's highest traditions: the Navy and the training of new generations. He wished the crew "fair winds," affirming that the future of the Italian Navy is in "excellent hands." A few days prior, the ambassador also visited the ship Etna, docked in Tanger, which marked the initial phase of the training campaign for second-year cadets.
The Strategic Importance of Maritime Spaces
In his address, Salzano highlighted the growing strategic centrality of maritime spaces, noting that commerce, energy, security, and digital connections all transit through the sea. He remarked that geopolitical balances are increasingly measured at sea. Tanger, with its historical significance as a gateway to the Mediterranean and a meeting point between Europe and Africa, was described by the diplomat as a city that has regained a central position in Mediterranean and Atlantic balances. Understanding this Moroccan city is crucial to comprehending how the sea continues to shape state relations and their future.
The Etna's campaign, which departed from Livorno on July 18, involves 132 cadets, both men and women, who have just completed their second year of university studies and will undergo approximately 70 days of training at sea. Following Tanger, the itinerary includes stops at La Coruña, Brest, Dublin, Portsmouth, La Pallice, and Lisbon, before arriving in Cagliari, where they will reunite with the training ship Amerigo Vespucci. The return to Livorno is scheduled for September 18.
Commissioned in 1998, the ship Etna is capable of undertaking logistical support missions and commanding complex operations. It is certified by NATO as a vessel that can host a deployed command staff. Addressing the future officers, Salzano reminded them that a member of the Navy represents Italy "even when they do not utter a word," through their professionalism, conduct, and respect shown to others.
As reported by agi.it.
