Assarmatori welcomes with satisfaction the vote expressed today by the Italian Parliament, first in the Chamber of Deputies and then in the Senate of the Republic, which gave the definitive green light to the participation of our country in the Aspides mission, a military operation desired by the EU to restore and safeguard freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and, in particular, in the Strait of Bab el Mandeb.

“Since the first attacks, on the initiative of the Italian government the critical area has been garrisoned first by the frigates Virginio Fasan and Federico Martinengo and now by the destroyer Caio Duilio – comments the president of Assarmatori, Stefano Messina – Today’s vote of the Parliament confirms the will and right of a free country like Italy to safeguard freedom of navigation, trade as well as the safety of women and men who are part of the crews. The gravity of a situation which unfortunately does not seem destined to be resolved in the short term has required a sharing of objectives and efforts within the international community, which has been ready. Aspides is a mission conceived, organized and conducted at European level and represents an important turning point both in terms of collaboration in the defense field and in terms of increasingly concrete cooperation in the protection of community interests at sea. In a short time, shipping companies have been able to reorganize the logistics chain, also through the circumnavigation of Africa, guaranteeing efficiency, frequency and regularity of services, through new transport capacity used. The Armament, then, in this very serious circumstance, finds and strengthens a solid and profitable collaboration with the Navy, which plays a leading role in this operation”.