Mattarella: 'Rescue at sea is a founding value of the national navy'

"Among the merits of the merchant fleet, the rescue operations cannot be forgotten - especially in the Mediterranean - in relation to the Coast Guard and the Harbor Offices, which the ships often find themselves faced with, and in which the founding values ​​of the national navy emerge: responsibility, safety, protection of human life at sea. This is the civilization expressed by the navy, the feeling that pervades it and which has a universal nature". The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, said this, speaking at the Public Assembly of the Italian Confederation of Shipowners.

"The maritime world is an expression of the opposition to any closure that attacks freedom in navigation and trade. It is a friend of rules that introduce fairness in relationships and bring worlds closer together, therefore it is a vector of peace. The disorder introduced is having a very serious impact on shipping and, from this, on the daily life of our communities in every area. It is easy to deduce that the health of the shipping industry and well-being are closely linked", added the head of state.

"The naval infrastructure - which supported the economic take-off of the country - builds and manages ships that represent platforms of high technological content, the effects of which extend to other sectors. You, President Zanetti, have appropriately underlined, among other themes, the role that the navy offers and can offer in the field of innovation and environmental safety. I believe it is necessary to proceed without timidity in this field. The seas are the elective place of life on the planet. Respect their balance - even more so in times of intense climate change - it is a sign of intelligence of events and foresight", he continued.

"The navy manifests a civilization - added Mattarella - Its characteristics give us values: freedom, brotherhood, courage, solidarity. Italy, immersed in the Mediterranean, knows that it is a debtor and, at the same time, a protagonist of the civilization of the sea. Our economy, our life, are marked by it. The sea system, made up of industry, ports, shipowners, crews contributes decisively to national life both in terms of gross domestic product - it has reached 11% - and in terms of employment to national life. As an essential element of the logistics chain, it plays a decisive role in the supply and export of our goods. It also represents an element of openness, wealth and modernity".

"Navigation, in its material and immaterial characteristics, is a vital infrastructure of globalization. 80% of trade takes place by sea. It constitutes a precious thermometer of the state of health of the world. Crises affect trade and this is what happens today", concluded Mattarella.