Two NATO ships docked in the port of Odessa at berths No. 18 and 19: the Italian destroyer "Luigi Durand de la Penne" and the Bulgarian frigate "Daring". The two ships joined the naval military parade dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.
The Destroyer of the Italian Navy "Durand de la Penne" will remain in the Odessa Sea Port until Thursday 7 September, as part of the Education Campaign for the class of the Naval Academy of Livorno.
The training campaign carried out on an operational warship represents an important training novelty for the 88 junior officers of the second class of the Naval Academy, who continue the professional growth path throughout an intense training program focused on the conduct of navigation and operations of maritime safety.
The Italian crew's activities include a visit of the Ukrainian frigate "Hetman Sahaidachnyi". Also this activity represents a significant moment for the Italian cadets who have an extraordinary opportunity to know different cultures and customs.
Historical note
The Italian warship is named after Luigi Durand de la Penne, who was a Royal Italian Navy officer and a "frogman" (naval diver) during World War II. He led a human torpedo attack in the port of Alexandria against the British fleet in the Mediterranean Sea, which disabled 4 ships. He personally placed a mine under the hull of the battleship HMS Valiant, which sank without victims, because Durand de la Penne informed the British few minutes before the detonation.
