Amerigo Vespucci Lieutenant Alessandro Cazzato explains the history of the 93-year-old Italian navy ship and what is planned while it’s in Darwin, which is its only stop in Australia on a World Tour

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Italian Navy vessel dubbed the World's Most Beautiful Ship, has
arrived at Darwin's Fort Hill Wharf. It's part of a
world tour. Now it's the first time that the Amarigo
Vespucci has come to Australia and Darwin is the vessel's
only stop in the country. There are a raft of
events planned and while the vessel is in town, and

(00:23):
it's giving locals a taste of Italy and the chance
to jump on board and check out the ship's charms. Now,
I am pleased to say that joining me on the
line right now is Lieutenant Alessandro Cazato. Good morning to you, Lieutenant.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
Good morning, good morning to everybody.

Speaker 1 (00:41):
Lovely to have you on the show. Tell us what's
it been like for you arriving in Darwin?

Speaker 2 (00:46):
First off, well, actually that's not the having Darwin. For me.
It's the first time in Australia, so it's a has
been a big emotion to reach discontin and for the
first time in my life.

Speaker 1 (01:01):
Oh how wonderful. So what was it like for you
when you were when you you know, you arrived into
those Australian waters and then when you when you arrived
here in the northern territory.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
Well, actually, likely the sea was perfect, was calm, the
wind blowed in the right direction, so it was a
pleasure to arrive with this kind of weather condition.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
Now tell me a little bit more about this beautiful
ship and what some of the key features are.

Speaker 2 (01:36):
Well, actually, that's the oldest Italian ship in service at
the moment. She is ninety three years old. Was built
in nineteen thirty one, so it's quite old. Imagine that
it is the only ship of the Italian Navy that
keeps the war flag with the old emblem, not the
Republican but the monarchy one, the Kingdom of Italy one,

(02:00):
because that's the kind of flag that you don't change
during the life or during the little of the life
of the ship itself. It's not the good and ship
as it may seem. It's a steel ship as engine
as well. But it's famous for our three maths and
the twenty seven sales.

Speaker 1 (02:22):
And given the fact that it is I believe you said,
ninety three years old, does that make it different for
you in terms of the y in which you know,
the y in which things operateze on the vessel.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
Well, actually, there is some feature that is out fashioned,
old fashioned, let's say this way. But you know, being
a ship of Italian, maybe it's up to date in
terms of engines and whatever we need for the navigation
in ICs.

Speaker 1 (02:55):
Well, Tenant tell me, I know the vessel is doing
a world to where have it comes from? And and
how many stops are you taking in total?

Speaker 2 (03:05):
Well, we are coming from Philippines right now, from Manila.
The next port of coal will be in just yeah, yes,
story for that, that's all right. Yes, there are more
than thirty ports in about thirty places in the order,

(03:29):
in thirty countries. So sometimes it's to remember where wherever
it would.

Speaker 1 (03:35):
Be it would be. It'd be difficult to remember everywhere
you're going. Now, what do you hope to showcase though
through that voyage?

Speaker 2 (03:46):
Well, actually, here in Australia, I was thinking about kangaroos.
Has probably everybody that doesn't live lives here. But they
told me that kangaroo's here is not a thing. But
they told me that there are a wallabies. Like a
Beckup plan be planned, short is more to be planned.

Speaker 1 (04:04):
There is some Yeah, there is wallabies around. And I
tell you what if you want to see them out
in the wild, if you go for a if you
go for a walk around East Point, sometimes around there,
right around the tip of East Point, you will see
some wallabies about. So, Lieutenant, you might if you get
out and about. I don't know whether you get much
spare time, but I'm sure you can get out there

(04:24):
and hopefully see some wallabies. Now, in terms of what
you're hoping people see if they are able to board
this ship and if they are able to come and
have a look at it. By the sounds of it,
there's a lot of history on the on the vessel
given given its sheer age.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yes, indeed, as we said before, ninety three year olds
years of history on board are shown on the woods
and the brass and the copper that shines on a
the deck is So people that will come to visit us,
will I'm one other percent sure enjoy our our ship.

(05:10):
And what does it mean for us to sail and
show Italy all around the world.

Speaker 1 (05:17):
And what's planned I understand tomorrow there's going to be
an opening ceremony. What's planned for that?

Speaker 2 (05:23):
Well, the open ceremony is something that happens in every
port where there is the large Italia, the Italian village
that support our movement as a ship, so there will
be a lot of things to see during the celebration,
the ceremony and of course for the tourists to see

(05:44):
when they will see the ship, when they will visit
the ship, they will have the opportunity also to visit
the village Italia that's very close to the ship and
where there is a lot of exposition of Italian things.
I'm proud. Let's say, let's say that awesome, And.

Speaker 1 (06:03):
So can anybody come along or is there you do
need to register, don't you?

Speaker 2 (06:08):
Well, for the ship you need to register to book
and as far as say no, the booking is is
open still open, so they they can go on the
website and check the ability of place and.

Speaker 1 (06:24):
Then in terms of the festival that's happening as well
or that showcase, can anybody head along there?

Speaker 2 (06:31):
Yes, Villagitaria, it's free, it's open. It is not directly
connected to the access with the ship, so you can
just go there. If you cannot grab a ticket, let's
think let's call it a ticket for the ship. Remember
everything is free, both the ticket for the ship and
the Villagitalia.

Speaker 1 (06:52):
And is that so that's happening tomorrow? Is that correct.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
Yes, the opening is tomorrow in the morning.

Speaker 1 (06:59):
Wonderful stuff. Well, it's been fantastic speaking to you, Lieutenant.
I really appreciate your time and I hope that you
enjoy your time here in Australia.

Speaker 2 (07:08):
Thank you, thank you so much, thank you.

Speaker 1 (07:11):
Wonderful to speak with you. Thanks so much.