New anti-piracy drill in the Gulf of Guinea

On 18 May, in the Gulf of Guinea, the Grimaldi Group took part in a new anti-piracy drill, organized and coordinated by the Italian Navy in collaboration with the Italian Coast Guard and Confitarma (Italian Shipowners’ Association).

The exercise involved the Italian Navy patrol vessel Comandante Bettica and the Neapolitan shipping group's multipurpose ro-ro vessel Grande Angola. The objectives were to test operational procedures in the event of a pirate attack, enhance cooperation between civilian and military maritime authorities, and assess the effectiveness of security plans for merchant shipping.

The activity included the detection of a suspicious vessel and the activation of the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS), which was received by the National Operations Centre of the Coast Guard – acting in its capacity as the National Competent Authority for Maritime Security. The alert was then relayed to the shipping company and subsequently to the Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Navy Fleet Command. This triggered the tactical intervention of the naval vessel, which deployed a security unit and an inspection team from the San Marco Marine Brigade aboard the Italian merchant ship via helicopter.

This initiative was part of ongoing, joint international efforts to ensure freedom of navigation and the safety of maritime traffic in one of the world’s highest-risk areas.

The drill once again confirmed the outstanding professionalism of Italian Navy and Coast Guard personnel in managing crisis situations related to maritime security and piracy, as well as the expertise of the Grande Angola’s Master and crew—thanks to the significant investments made by the Grimaldi Group, and by the Italian shipping industry as a whole, in training and preparedness.