On the 26th of September 2023, took place the ceremony for the changeover of Command of the European Maritime Force (EUROMARFOR) between the Commander of the Spanish fleet, Admiral Eugenio Diaz Del Rio (outgoing) and the Commander in Chief of the Italian Fleet, Admiral Aurelio De Carolis (incoming), on board ITS GARIBALDI moored in the port of Civitavecchia.
The presence of civil and military authorities, including the Mayor of the city of Civitavecchia Avv. Tedesco, the Adviser for Security and Counter-Terrorism Policies of the Minister of Defense, Dr. Margelletti, the Commander of the U.S. Sixth Fleet, Admiral Ishee, the Commander of the Air Squadron, General Biavati, and the Commanders of the fleets of the EUROMARFOR countries, give the measure of the international, inter-institutional and inter-force character of the event that marked the assumption of command of the initiative by Italy, which will lead the coalition for the next two years.
Admiral Eugenio Diaz Del Rio, in his farewell remarks, recalled how his efforts had been directed primarily at the resumption of activities that had suffered a setback due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The handover is a symbolic representation of the handover of command of personnel and naval units, but also of responsibilities between two commanders: in the hangar of the Garibaldi aircraft-carrier cruiser, the two admirals, in exchanging the flag of EUROMARFOR, renewed their now nearly 30-year commitment to make their forces available in support of maritime security throughout the wider Mediterranean area.
Admiral De Carolis, in thanking those who attended the ceremony, wanted to express the profound honor in being appointed to head of EUROMARFOR, a form of military cooperation in the maritime dimension among four European countries, which is being renewed to meet the modern security challenges that depict the international scenario today.
