On January 9, the Italian ambassador in Abu Dhabi Lorenzo Fanara attended the ceremony to salute the multi-purpose offshore patrol vessel Thaon of Revel at the end of its prolonged commitment, which began last August 23, in the AGENOR operation, under the aegis of the multinational initiative called European-led Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASoH).
The event, which saw the participation of the commander in chief of the naval squadron admiral Aurelio De Carolis and the operational and tactical commanders of AGENOR - respectively the rear admiral (FRA) Emmanuel Slaars and the rear admiral Stefano Costantino - took place on the bridge flight deck of the unit, moored at the French naval base of Al Salam Camp in the United Arab Emirates.
In this circumstance, Rear Admiral Slaars was awarded the Commemorative Cross for participation in international security competition operations outside the national territory for the EMASoH mission, a sign of recognition for the excellent work carried out in synergy with the Italian commitment to command of the tactical device of the AGENOR operation.
As part of the ceremony, the commander in chief of the naval team, in addition to underlining the relevance of the action of operational guidance to the mission ensured by the operational commander, punctually declined by the tactical commander, together with the support provided to the flagship Italian, intended to express his appreciation to the ship's command and crew for the excellent work done so far: “An intense period that you have faced with great enthusiasm and determination, achieving excellent results. For this I want to give credit to the commanders who have taken turns and to the whole crew. A heartfelt appreciation that I extend to all the components: from the operational ones to those that have guaranteed the efficiency of the ship, with the related means and systems on board, and the sustainability of her action over time ”.
At the end of the event, the Italian ambassador then thanked the Armed Forces and the entire Italian crew for their prolonged commitment, in an extremely complex area due to its geopolitical dynamics and of strategic importance for Europe and in particular for our country, in support of safeguarding the freedom of navigation and the prosperity of maritime traffic at a trans-regional level.
Nave's long period of international activity Thaon of Revel, which began last 12 August with the participation in various operations outside the Mediterranean basin, up to touching the Arabian Sea and the area of the Strait of Hormuz, has in fact constituted an extremely favorable and promptly capitalized opportunity for the consolidation of national relations with the Navies and Countries of the region, in the widest range of activities of confidence building and in the wake of the traditional role of naval diplomacy played by the Navy in the area of Enlarged Mediterranean.
