ITS Giovanni delle Bande Nere in Ho Chi Minh City

As part of its naval campaign in the Indo-Pacific, the Italian Navy ship Giovanni delle Bande Nere made a port call at Nha Rong port in Ho Chi Minh City from September 16 to 20.
Commander Lorenzo Malandrucco was welcomed by Ambassador Marco della Seta and Consul General Alessandra Tognonato and representatives of the Vietnam People’s Navy. On the afternoon of September 16, a wreath-laying ceremony was held at the monument dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh, followed by courtesy visits to Vietnamese authorities, specifically Senior Captain Nguyen Tan Linh (Deputy Commander of Military Region 7), Senior Captain Trieu Thanh Tung (Deputy Commander of Naval Region 2), and Tran Van Bay (Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee).

A rich schedule of events was hosted on board:

Italian Industry Day (September 17, 2026) dedicated to the excellences of the Italian defense industry, featuring the participation of Fincantieri, WASS Submarine Systems, and ELT Group;
The roundtable discussion titled “Safe Seas, Resilient Supply Chains: Advancing Italy-Vietnam Maritime Cooperation” (September 18, 2026), with the participation of Prof. Lorenzo Termine (UNINT and Atlantic Council), alongside Lai Anh Tu and Vu Hai Dang (Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam);
An on-board reception hosted by the Commander in the presence of representatives from government institutions, the diplomatic and consular corps, the business community, and the Italian and international communities;
Guided ship tours for the press and the general public.

On September 20, the ITS Giovanni delle Bande Nere left Ho Chi Minh City, setting course for Thailand.

Relive the most significant moments of the Giovanni delle Bande Nere’s stopover in Vietnam with us through the photo gallery and the dedicated press review.

Press review:

The Italian Navy’s most modern multipurpose warship visited Ho Chi Minh City. HCMC – Tuổi Trẻ Online

The Italian Navy’s most modern patrol ship arrives in Vietnam | Thanh Nien

Italian navy ship pays friendship visit to Ho Chi Minh City | People’s Army Newspaper

Italian Navy ship begins five-day goodwill visit to Ho Chi Minh City | SGGP English Edition

Italian Navy ship pays friendship visit to Vietnam | Báo Tin Tức

Italian Navy ship makes port call in Vietnam | VietnamPlus

Italian Navy ship docked in Ho Chi Minh City | Voice of Ho Chi Minh City People (VOH)

Italian Navy ship visits Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam People’s Navy Newspaper

HTV – Welcoming the Italian Navy ship to Ho Chi Minh City

Italian Navy vessel makes port call at HCM City | Vietnam News

Colonel Nguyen Tan Linh, Deputy Commander of the Military Region received the command group of Italian Navy ships | Bao quan khu 7