Genoa, March 4, 2017

The launching ceremony of the seventh FREMM Frigate “Federico Martinengo” took place today at the Fincantieri Riva Trigoso Shipyard, near Genoa.

The Vessel was ordered to Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, Joint Venture between Fincantieri S.p.A. (51%) and Leonardo S.p.A. (49%) by OCCAR (“Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’ARmement”) in the frame of the Italian-French collaboration FREMM Programme.

The ceremony was attended, among others, by Mr. Giacomo Sardina, CEO of Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, by Mr. Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, by Mr. Angelo Fusco, Fincantieri’s SVP Naval Vessels Business Unit & Italy Business Unit, by Vice Admiral Matteo Bisceglia, Director for Naval Armaments, by the Italian Chief of General Stuff, General Claudio Graziano, by the Chief of Stuff of the Italian Navy, Admiral Valter Girardelli, and by the President of Liguria, Mr. Giovanni Toti.

Godmother of the ceremony was Mrs. Mina de Caro, widow of Giuseppe Porcelli, the Captain of the “Scirocco” Frigate, who died in 1997 during an operational activity carried out under the NATO Naval Forces in the Mediterranean Sea.

After the launching, the Vessel will be transported by sea to the shipyard of Muggiano (La Spezia), where it will be completely assembled and delivered in the first months of 2018. The FREMM “Federico Martinengo” will be characterized, similarly to the others of the class, by a high degree of flexibility and will be able to operate in a wide range of scenarios and tactical situations. The Unit is 144 meters long with a displacement at full load of approximately 6,700 tons, a breadth of 19,7 m and it is designed to reach a maximum speed of 27 knots and to provide accommodation for 200 people.