After two Atlantic crossings and a voyage that carried the Italian flag to ports in the United States and Canada, the Amerigo Vespucci has returned to Italy, completing its 2026 North American tour. Few ships have turned a training mission into a national story. The Amerigo Vespucci is one of them: an Italian Navy training ship, a symbol of Italy around the world and a place where generations of officers have learned seamanship before navigation.

We met the ship’s Commanding Officer, Captain Nicasio Falica, during its stop in Boston, amid the North American tour and celebrations marking the 250th Anniversary of American Independence. With the tour now complete, that conversation offers an opportunity to take stock: two ocean crossings, encounters with communities in the United States and Canada, sailing records and the training of cadets through life aboard ship. With Captain Falica, we revisit the challenges faced at sea and the moments that will remain with the crew.

Captain Nicasio Falica

Captain Falica, let’s begin with the Atlantic. The Vespucci broke its previous record for distance traveled under sail, relying on the wind for a substantial part of the crossing. What does it mean to cross the ocean this way today?

“It means making the crossing as a sailor, the way ships once sailed. It is a tradition we still believe in, especially because of its value in training our younger personnel. But it is also an approach that matters to all of us in this profession. From Santa Cruz de Tenerife, we had to reach Baltimore, the first of our three American stops for the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. A direct west-northwest course would have taken us about 3,200 nautical miles. Instead, we chose to sail farther south, heading southwest toward the 24th parallel to catch the trade winds: moderate but steady winds. We found them and sailed under wind power for 24 of the crossing’s 29 days, about 80 percent of the time. That passage, more than 1,000 nautical miles longer than the direct route, broke three records. At 29 days between ports, it was the longest passage by duration in the Vespucci’s history; the previous record was 28 days, in 1952 and 2000. We covered 4,267 nautical miles in all, surpassing the 3,661 recorded in 1952. Of those, 3,049 were under sail, beating the previous record of 2,899 nautical miles set during the 1992 voyage. And we arrived a day ahead of schedule. We did not set out to break records. We sailed this way because we believe it is the right way for this ship and for sailors.”

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The open sea demands vigilance, caution and judgment. Looking back on the entire North American tour, what was the most difficult moment, when the ship and crew faced their greatest test?

“That ties into the previous question. When you are in the middle of the Atlantic, fifteen days from the coast you left and another fifteen from the one you are heading toward, you have to stay extremely focused. Speed is certainly not one of the Vespucci’s greatest strengths. We have neither a flight deck nor a helicopter to handle emergencies, particularly medical ones. Everyone knows they need to be even more careful, right down to watching their footing on the ship’s stairs. The most difficult moment, though, came on the evening of July 3, before we entered New York. We were at anchor with the other tall ships, waiting to enter the next day, when a storm hit. We could see a waterspout on the horizon, and the wind reached 62 knots. Almost all the ships dragged anchor, meaning their anchors lost their grip on the seabed. We avoided that by immediately starting our engines and maneuvering to keep the ship safe. We were in confined waters, close to shore, with shallow water nearby and the ships close together. The Vespucci has a draft of 7.2 meters, greater than that of the other ships there, so running aground was a real concern. Those were probably the longest forty minutes of my command, waiting for the storm to pass without causing damage.”

What kind of welcome did you receive during your stops in the United States and Canada?

“It was extraordinary, in every port. We had large numbers of visitors, including a strong turnout from Italian communities. We felt embraced by the public and, within that embrace, by our fellow Italians.”

In an age dominated by technology and smartphones, how does life aboard the Vespucci change the young men and women who share its spaces, hard work, maneuvers and responsibilities?

“The Vespucci is a ship where 95 years of tradition coexist in harmony with innovation. We have electronic charts and satellite communications systems: we combine time-honored seamanship with modern tools. But we do not give up our traditions. Take celestial navigation: cadets still use a sextant to measure the altitude of stars and work through painstaking calculations to determine the ship’s position. It takes hard work and commitment. The motto beneath the mainmast reminds us of that: ‘Non chi comincia ma quel che persevera’ — ‘Not the one who begins, but the one who perseveres.’ Perseverance requires a willingness to make sacrifices and push further. Even the commanding officer’s cadet sword, worn during his own training and displayed at the entrance to the reception quarters, carries a message: to become a commanding officer, you have to start here, with a cadet’s daily work. It takes willpower, determination, discipline and the ability to work as a crew. As for the younger generation’s relationship with technology, once cadets come aboard, they do not seem to see giving up their smartphones as much of a sacrifice. They immerse themselves in this life, with its hard work but also its rewards. By the end of the tour, they have experienced firsthand how much they have accomplished. There is the sea, the wind and the ship. But a cadet’s greatest challenge is confronting their own limits. The Vespucci is the proving ground where they arrive as cadets and leave as sailors. For us, that is an essential step: you cannot become a naval officer without first becoming a sailor. That is why, for 95 years, generations of officers have come aboard this ship for their baptism at sea.”

We began with the most difficult moment. I would like to end with the most beautiful one: what image of the North American tour will stay with you?

“Our arrival on the Hudson River on July 4, beneath the Statue of Liberty. The cadets and crew were together as one, cheering in salute, with all our fore-and-aft sails set. For me, that image captures the entire voyage that brought us there: honoring an ally’s celebration and being there as Italy, as the Vespucci and as the Italian Navy, with our entire crew. And I think about what had happened the night before. We had weathered the storm and, less than twenty-four hours later, were taking part in what I would call a triumphant parade beneath the Statue of Liberty, one of the symbols of the values we share and defend. That is the image I bring home.”