The historic Italian training vessel “ITS Palinuro” has arrived in Larnaca and will be open to the public for the next three days.
Giuseppe Valentini, commanding officer of « ITS Palinuro» said that the ship is used by the Italian navy to train cadets.
The vessel, he explained, was built in France in 1934 and was initially a fishing boat that was used to fish cod off the coast of Canada. The Italian navy bought it from its French owner in 1951, he added.
“After some years of renovation the ship was transformed from a fishing vessel to a training ship, it started its life under the Italian flag,” he said.
Replying to questions he said that the vessel can accommodate up to 145 persons. Right now, there are 35 cadets and 120 navy personnel on board.
Valentini noted that the vessel sailed in the Adriatic Sea, passed from Albania, Slovenia, and Montenegro, now is in Cyprus and on September 1st it is returning to its port in Italy.
Impeccably maintained in line with its original grandeur, “Palinuro” is part of an elite club of vintage ships, a press release issued by the Italian Embassy in Nicosia said. During its many decades in operation, she has sailed more than 300.000 nautical miles through most major ports of the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. The latest chapter in her rich history is the meeting she recently hosted between the Italian Prime Minister Gentiloni, French President Macron and German Chancellor Merkel.
The technical characteristics of the ship are just as impressive: three masts over 35 metres tall; 1000 sq metres of sail plan, with 15 sails of various types (square sails, mainsails, gaff-topsail, staysails, jibs), spanning three decks.
The Palinuro’s presence in Cyprus is also a testimony to the growing relations between Italy and Cyprus in the defence sector, following the visit to Nicosia of the Italian Minister of Defence Roberta Pinotti on July 31st. The ship’s visit will offer the opportunity of talks on possible cooperation between the Italian and the Cypriot Navies.
Visitors can visit the ship at Larnaκa Port, during the following hours:
– 29 August: between 10.00 to 12.00 and 16.00 to 17.30
– 30 August: between 10.00 to 12.00 and 16.00 to 19.00
– 31 August: between 10.00 to 12.00 and 16.00 to 19.00
The Palinuro – which has called on the ports of Valletta and Piraeus at the beginning of August – will set sail again on the 1st of September for Rhodes before returning to Italy in Portoferraio, on Elba Island.
