August 5, 2022 - The Italian navy ship San Giusto arrived this Thursday in Split, more precisely to the Lora Naval Base, where it plans to remain until August the 8th. 

The visit is part of the second stage of the Educational campaign for the cadets of the Petty Officer Academy Taranto. The ship was visited yesterday by the mayor of Split Ivica Puljak, adviser to the prefect of Split-Dalmatia Ana Buličić Krespi, consul general of the Republic of Italy in Rijeka Davide Bradanini, honorary consul of Italy in Split Maja Medić, honorary consul of Italy in Dubrovnik Frano Bongi and military attaché of Italy in Vienna with the delegate for Croatia, Colonel Gerardo Contristano. The guests were welcomed by the ship's commander, Antonio Giuseppe Palombella.

The San Giusto ship is the first and only ship of the San Giusto class, a modernized version of the San Giorgio class, and combines amphibious capabilities with the peculiarities of a training ship. Its usual duty station is the Brindisi Naval Base and it is under the direct purview of the 3rd Naval Division. According to NATO standard names, it is defined as an LPD (Landing Platform Dock). That means it's an amphibious transport unit equipped with a floating dock, designed for the landing of amphibious landing troops in projection operations from the sea.

This ship's high transport capacities make the unit very versatile for humanitarian aid, civil protection, and interventions in the event of natural disasters, in which it has participated several times. The large spaces and accommodation capacities also allow it to be used as a training ship for students of the Naval Academy or Cadet Schools of the Italian Navy. That's why it has been designated for the 2022 Education Campaign for the benefit of the Petty Officer Academy Taranto.

There are 151 students currently sailing on it, 35 female and 116 male, who are sailing the Mediterranean and learning about the naval units and skills helpful in performing various tasks. The campaign started on July 25th from the Taranto Naval Base and will last for about 2 months, with an expected return to Taranto on September 24th. After Split, the ship will set sail for future destinations in the central and eastern Mediterranean.

Unfortunately,  Captain Alberto Bertorelli was not seen in Split this time.