KARACHI: A magnificent Pakistan Navy band played beautiful ceremonial tunes and the flags of both Pakistan and Italy fluttered in the gentle morning sea breeze as the Italian Navy sailing ship Amerigo Vespucci, said to be the most beautiful sailing ship in the world, arrived at Karachi port on Saturday.

The historic, 93-year-old training ship, Amerigo Vespucci, guardian of the most ancient naval and seafaring traditions, is currently on its second circumnavigation around the world (its first world tour was in 2002 to 2003) where it is visiting 36 ports in 32 different countries in 20 months.

Amerigo Vespucci left the Port of Genoa on July 1, 2023. Karachi happens to be its 29th stop. It arrived here after its previous port visit in Mumbai.

The ship brings with it culture, history, innovation, science, research and technology. Being a training ship, it combines traditional activity of officer cadets with Italian excellence.

While speaking to the media on the Amerigo Vespucci’s docking in Karachi, Italian Ambassador to Pakistan Marlina Armellin said that it was a matter of national pride for her to welcome yet again an Italian ship.

“This is the fourth visit of an Italian navy ship in the last three years,” she said, while reminding that only two months ago they had welcomed the Italian Navy Carrier Strike Group, comprised of the aircraft carrier Cavour and frigate Alpino.

“This is a testament of the friendship that unite our two countries, Italy and Pakistan and a testament to the fact that Italy is ready to boost relationship that unites us,” said Ambassador Armellin.

“As you may know already, Italy hosts the largest Pakistani community in the European Union. So the people-to-people connections will certainly be reinforced by the visit of Amerigo Vespucci. Tomorrow, on Sunday, the ship will also be visited by many Pakistani families. It will showcase the lifestyle and hospitality of Italy,” she said.

Commenting on Italy and Pakistan’s economic ties, the envoy said that they enjoy strong ties with Pakistan in some sectors. “Currently, Pakistan imports machinery from Italy while Italy imports textiles, leather products and agriculture products such as rice from Pakistan,” she said.

“Trade between our two countries reaches $2 billion per year. But we believe that there is room for even greater expansion. We are there and committed to make this shift towards more commercial ties. We recently opened the office of the trade commissioner in Islamabad to boost trade between the two countries,” she added.

According to the ship’s Commanding Officer, Captain Giuseppe Lai, Amerigo Vespucci has a motto: ‘Not he who begins but that which preserves’. It is a phrase attributed to the Italian artist Leonardo Da Vinci, which represents the ideal that drives military men and women, including those who received training on the ship and its permanent crew, to the sea.

Captain Lai also informed that Amerigo Vespucci promotes naval diplomacy and that it was named a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador in 2007. It also flies the blue Unicef flag along with Italy’s flag. And as it entered Pakistan’s territory, it also hoisted the Pakistan flag, which it will continue to fly until the ship’s departure for its next destination on Monday.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2024