On February 4, 2025, aboard the frigate Luigi Rizzo, the commander in chief of the naval squadron and commander of the European Maritime Force, Admiral Aurelio De Carolis, has officially activated the EUROMARFOR task group.
EUROMARFOR, born in 1995 from the union and cooperation between Italy, France, Portugal and Spain, is a non-permanent multinational maritime force created for collective defense operations, crisis management and humanitarian missions, whose command is rotated every two years between the four countries.
In command of the device at sea, composed of the flagship Luigi Rizzo and from the Spanish frigate Reina Sofia, there will be Captain Davide Da Pozzo, who with his staff will lead operations in the Mediterranean, also in support of the NATO operation Noble Shield, to support a continuous maritime presence and strengthen the Alliance's defence and deterrence capabilities.
“To Commander Da Pozzo, his staff and the crews of the units under his command, I extend my best wishes for a fruitful and rewarding period as Commander of the EUROMARFOR Battlegroup, always keeping in mind the intrinsic characteristics of the European Maritime Force. In this way you will also be able to enrich your professional and human baggage. A special thought, at this time, goes to the fleet commanders of the French, Portuguese and Spanish Navies, who share with me the enthusiasm and commitment to promoting EUROMARFOR, always seeking every possible opportunity to train and cooperate, also with other allied navies and partners, to strengthen the operational readiness of the Force and expand its reach and reputation. Favorable winds and calm seas to all of you. With great pride, I am honored to declare the EUROMARFOR Battlegroup activated." – these are the words addressed by Admiral De Carolis to the personnel present on board the ship Rizzo and to the crew of the Reina Sofia connected via video conference for the occasion.
