Amerigo Vespucci, dubbed as the world’s most beautiful ship, has arrived in Manila.
Vespucci, which is also Italy's training ship and the oldest ship in service, docked at the Port of Manila on Friday night, Sept. 13, after two weeks in navigation from Tokyo. She will stay in the Philippines until Sept. 18 before moving to Darwin, Australia.
It is her first time in Manila since launching her World Tour from her home port in La Spezia, Italy. According to Commandant Giuseppe Lai di Vascello, Manila is included in the itinerary as "the Philippines is a very good partner of Italy."
"The navigation was pretty good," di Vascello on Saturday, Sept. 14, described their experience as they set sail from Japan to the Philippines.
Operating with an auxiliary electric engine, Vespucci has rigging that comprises three vertical masts (the foremast, the main mast and the mizzen mast), which are equipped with yards and square sails. Its bowsprit functions as a fourth mast.
Vespucci also features fore and aft sails, and jibs that stay between the masts and the spanker.
It can train around 115 cadets at a time.
Launched in 1931, Vespucci has been engaged not only in navigation training but also in naval diplomacy and complementary interagency use (such as for UNICEF, historical or archaeological heritage, environmental protection, support for scientific and social research, and promotion of maritime culture).
Vespucci was tagged as the most beautiful ship in the world after an encounter with the US carrier, USS Independence.
"Actually that came from an encounter in 1962 between Amerigo Vespucci and USS Independence. When they [Independence] flashed [Vespucci] with lights during this encounter, the American ship asked who are you and Amerigo Vespucci answered 'we are a training ship of the Italian navy,'" di Vascello said.
"And the US carrier said you are the most beautiful in the world," he added.
Vespucci is touring the world not only to train her cadets about navigation and oceanography but also to train them to spread the Italian culture and values as the ship is also tagged as the "floating embassy."