Italy: Carlo Margottini Frigate Launched

Riva Trigoso (Genoa) shipyard celebrated the launch of the frigate “Carlo Margottini”, the third of a series of Fremm vessels – Multi Mission European Frigates, ordered from Fincantieri by the Italian Navy within the framework of an Italo-French program of cooperation.

Godmother to the ship was Ms. Stefania Portaccio, granddaughter of Captain Carlo Margottini. The frigate was named in honour of Captain Carlo Margottini, who was decorated for military valour after the sinking of Nave Artigliere in 1940.

Present at the ceremony were, among others, Roberta Pinotti, Italian Under Secretary of Defence, Claudio Burlando, Governor of Liguria, Admiral Luigi Binelli Mantelli, Chief of the Italian Defence General Staff, Admiral Giuseppe De Giorgi, Chief of the Italian Navy, and Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri.

The vessel, which is due for delivery in early 2014 in Muggiano (La Spezia), will feature a high degree of flexibility, capable of operating in all tactical situations. 144 metres long with a beam of 19.7 metres, the ship will have a displacement at full load of approximately 6,700 tonnes. The “Carlo Margottini” will have a maximum speed of over 27 knots and will provide accommodation for a crew of 200.

The ships in the FREMM program constitute state of the art vessels of European and Italian defence in the Mediterranean and will replace the “Lupo” and “Maestrale” class frigates built by Fincantieri in the 1970s.

Participating in the initiative as prime contractor for Italy is Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (51% Fincantieri, 49% Finmeccanica) and, as prime contractor for France, Armaris (DCNS + Thales). The cooperation has drawn of the highly positive experience of the previous Italo-French program “Orizzonte” under which two frigates were built for the Italian Navy, the ”Andrea Doria” and the “Caio Duilio”.

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Press Release, July 2, 2013.