WELCOMING THE AMERICA’S CUP – THE ‘MOST BEAUTIFUL SHIP IN THE WORLD’

More than fifty tall ships and naval units from navies around the world sailed up the Hudson River from the Verrazzano Bridge to the George Washington Bridge, passing directly in front of the Statue of Liberty.

This spectacular event was one of the most significant moments of the new chapter of the Amerigo Vespucci World Tour – North America Campaign 2026, which began in Genoa on May 9th. Through this mission, the training ship of the Italian Navy continues to carry worldwide the beauty, identity, spirit of dialogue among peoples, and the culture of Italy and its people.

Announced by Minister of Defense of the Government of the Italian Republic Guido Crosetto, the ‘Amerigo Vespucci World Tour - North America Campaign 2026’ is an initiative of the Italian Ministry of Defense and the Italian Navy, produced by Difesa Servizi S.p.A., part of the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of U.S. Independence.

The project was developed in collaboration with: Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italian Ministry of Culture, Italian Minister for Sport and Youth, and Italian Minister for Disabilities. The Amerigo Vespucci World Tour – North America Campaign 2026 is supported by ITA – Italian Trade Agency, Veronafiere - Vinitaly and Enel.

After the parade, the Amerigo Vespucci docked at Pier 86 - the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum pier - where it is participating in a busy program of institutional events and will host several special events aboard.

Furthermore, arriving from New Zealand, the America’s Cup trophy itself, that dates back to 1848 and the most iconic trophy in international sports was welcomed aboard and displayed to guests.

During the ship’s stopover in New York, the following were welcomed aboard: Italian Under Secretary of Defense, Hon. Matteo Perego di Cremnago – on behalf of the Minister of Defense of the Government of the Italian Republic Guido Crosetto; Italian Minister for Sport and Youth, Andrea Abodi; Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy, Admiral of Squadron Giuseppe Berutti Bergotto; Commander-General of the Carabinieri Corps Army Corps General Salvatore Luongo; Ambassador of Italy to the United States of America, Marco Peronaci; Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations in New York, Italian Ambassador Giorgio Marrapodi; Consul General of Italy in New York, Giuseppe Pastorelli; Mayor of Genoa, Silvia Salis; Chief Executive Officer of Difesa Servizi S.p.A., Luca Andreoli.

Also in attendance was the President of Sport e Salute, Marco Mezzaroma; Chief Executive Office of America’s Cup Marzio Perrelli; President of the Italian Trade Agency, Matteo Zoppas and Presidente di Veronafiere and di Vinitaly Federico Bricolo.

This is the Amerigo Vespucci’s ninth visit to New York; the first was in 1933, when it arrived in the city at the end of its first transatlantic crossing after leaving Gibraltar, followed by a second visit in 1951, after World War II; the most recent visits were in 2000 and 2017, confirming the strong bond between Italy and the United States.

It was the United States that gave the Amerigo Vespucci a fitting nickname, when in 1962, in the Mediterranean Sea, the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Independence asked, “Who are you?” and received the reply, “Training Ship Amerigo Vespucci, Italian Navy,” prompting the famous response: “You are the most beautiful ship in the world.”

Sixty years later, in 2022, while crossing paths at sea with the American aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush, a radio message confirmed that reputation: “You are still, after 60 years, the most beautiful ship in the world.”