Historic Italian ship docks in Aqaba

The historic Italian training ship “Amerigo Vespucci” arrived in Aqaba on Thursday as part of its global tour, marking its first visit to Jordan and its 34th stop before returning to the Mediterranean – according to the Jordan News Agency (Petra).

Warm welcome in Aqaba

Officials, including Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority Vice President Hamza Al-Haj Hassan, Aqaba Governor Khaled Al-Hajjaj, Italian Ambassador Luciano Pezzotti, and Royal Jordanian Navy Commander in Aqaba Colonel Hisham Al-Jarrah, welcomed the vessel and its crew.

Haj Hassan highlighted the visit as a testament to the strong ties between Jordan and Italy, noting that the ship will open to the public on Friday, offering a glimpse into Italy’s rich maritime heritage – in statements cited by Petra.

He emphasized the significance of such events in boosting tourism and investment in Aqaba, particularly from European markets.

Symbol of Italian maritime tradition

Italian Ambassador Pezzotti described “Vespucci” as a vessel with over 90 years of maritime tradition, embodying Italy’s global legacy. He noted that its worldwide tour serves both as a training mission for naval cadets and a promotion of Italian craftsmanship and heritage.

As Vespucci nears the end of its journey, the Italian envoy praised Jordan's warm reception, reflecting the strong bilateral relations between the two nations.