Genoa, 26th January 2020
On January 25th 2020 the launching ceremony of the Italian FREMM Emilio Bianchi was held at the FINCANTIERI Shipyard in Riva Trigoso.
The Vessel is the tenth and last Unit of the FREMM type (European Multi-Mission Frigates) ordered by the Italian Navy to Orizzonte Sistemi Navali acting as prime contractor for Italy within the frame of the Italian-French international Cooperation Agreement, with OCCAR acting as coordinator of the FREMM Programme.
Godmother of the ceremony was Mrs. Maria Elisabetta Bianchi, daughter of Emilio Bianchi, the Captain awarded with the Golden Medal for Military Value.
Many civil and military authorities took part in the ceremony such as the Italian Minister of Defence, Mr. Lorenzo Guerini, the President of the Ligurian Region Mr. Giovanni Toti. Playing hostess for Fincantieri was the President, Mr. Giampiero Massolo who welcomed the Chief of Stuff of the Italian Navy, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone.
Just after the ceremony, the Ship will be transferred to the Fincantieri‘s Muggiano shipyard near La Spezia where it will be delivered in March 2021.
With a length of 144 meters and a beam of 19.7 meters, the ship will have a displacement at a full load of approximately 6,700 tons. In addition, it will have a maximum speed of over 27 knots and a maximum accommodation capacity of 200 crew members.
The FREMM program, representing the European and Italian Defence state of the art, stems from the renewal need of the Italian Navy line “Lupo” (already removed) and “Maestrale” (some of them already decommissioned, the remaining close to the attainment of operational limit) class frigates, both built by Fincantieri in the 1970s.
