Amerigo Vespucci, Commander Lai's adventure at the helm of the historic sailing ship

An epic voyage, a world tour touching five continents, on what has been his training ship. Captain Giuseppe Lai, is at the helm of the Amerigo Vespucci from 9 September 2023, the 125th captain of what is considered the most beautiful ship in the world. A majestic sailing ship with a timeless beauty, with its 4,164 tonnes of elegance, three vertical masts and more than 2,600 square metres of hemp resistant to ocean gusts forming the 24 sails. In front of the black and white striped hull reminiscent of late 18th century vessels, even the world's ocean liners bow down, giving way to her. A ship celebrated throughout the world that has the same charm as when it was launched in 1931 by the Royal shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia.

Commander Lai inherited the value of traditions from his homeland, Sardinia. "On a personal level, Nave Amerigo Vespucci,' says Lai, interviewed inside the ship's wheelhouse, used for sailing, 'represents for me the starting point of my career. It was here that I had my first boarding experience. I experienced, like all naval officers, my baptism of the sea. So the acquaintance with the elements, but above all the relationship with the crew. Here I went from an individual to a collective vision of life at sea. It also represents the culmination of my career. Being able to command it during a round-the-world voyage is the realisation of a dream I had as a child. The dream of sea life, exploration and military life'.

The great celebration in Genoa for the Navy Day celebrations and the end of the Amerigo Vespucci's world tour brings to a close the international adventure of the Italian Navy's training ship, which will now rest in an arsenal in La Spezia before setting off again for new adventures. A 94-year-old lady of the seas who for two years has taken Made in Italy around the world. Almost 50 thousand miles travelled across five continents, 32 countries touched, 53 ports visited, twenty of which in the Mediterranean Sea.

Lai's bond with his crew, the ship's true driving force, is strong. A crew of around 400 people: 264 military personnel, including 15 officers, 30 non-commissioned officers, 34 sergeants, 185 sub-chiefs and commoners. And a hundred trainees, plus support staff from the Naval Academy. A crew that faced many challenges during the World Tour, including extreme weather conditions and sailing in remote areas. This was the case, for example, when the sailing ship rounded Cape Horn, the southernmost point of the American continent where the waters of the Pacific merge with those of the Atlantic, which is one of the most challenging points for navigation. A place characterised by continuous disturbances created by its proximity to Antarctica. Perturbations that push enormous masses of water towards the Drake Strait, where the seabed rapidly changes from 4,000 to 100 metres. "A crew," says Lai, "that has been a family to me, that has been there for me in the strongest moments. We gave each other strength. The crew has been the real protagonist of this round-the-world voyage. There is nothing on this ship that is indispensable, except for one thing: the crew and the spirit that animated it. A crew that embraced the idea of the round-the-world voyage from the very first moment. Here, this curiosity was a factor, an element, a common denominator of everyone on board the Vespucci and it led us to do the impossible'.

The sailing ship, a training ship of the Italian Navy, is also a true floating embassy, representing with its majesty the beauty of Italy in the world, enhancing Made in Italy and Italian culture. "For Italy, I consider it a great achievement to have completed a world tour, the second in the history of this ship. Nave Vespucci,' Lai recounts, 'was born as a training ship, but it is also a floating embassy, an arrangement of naval diplomacy. This world tour wanted to enhance this aspect at the behest of Defence Minister Crosetto and with the support of twelve ministries. There was a 360-degree promotion of Made in Italy with Nave Vespucci and with Villaggio Italia, the travelling mini Expo that followed the ship. It was a great opportunity for Italy to promote the country system at 360 degrees'. And he tells of the amazement of the people who visited this 'museum that is not a museum, but a ship that continues to sail'.