The Corps of the Port Captaincies - Coast Guard (Italian language:Corpo delle Capitanerie di porto - Guardia costiera) is the coast guard of Italy and is both a military. It is part of the Italian Navy under the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

History

Operational SAR branch of the Corpo delle Capitaneria di Porto or Corps of the Port Captaincies which was organized first by royal decree of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies in 1865. It was reorganized as part of the Regia Marina in 1915, (since 1946 Marina Militare) and on June 8, 1989, redesignated Guardia Costiera.

Structure and organization

Structure

The Corps of the Port Captaincies - Coast Guard is structured as follow:

• 1 MARICOGECAP - Captaincies of Port General Headquarters - Comando generale, which functions of Italian Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (IMRCC)
• 14 DIREZIOMARE - Maritime Directorates - Direzioni marittime, which are at the head of as many Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre Commands (MRSC)
• 53 COMPAMARE - Maritime Compartments / Captaincies of Port - Compartimenti marittimi / Capitanerie di porto
• 48 CIRCOMARE - Maritime District Offices - Uffici circondariali marittimi
• 126 LOCAMARE - Local Maritime Offices - Uffici locali marittimi
• 38 DELEMARE - Maritime Delegations or Beach Delegations - Delegazioni marittime or Delegazioni di spiaggia

Moreover the following services are also part of the Corps:

• the air-sea component;
• the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite station of Bari (in synergy with the Italian Civil Protection Department);
• the 3 Underwater Operators Groups (San Benedetto del Tronto, Naples and Messina);
• the Marine Environmental Division of the Port Captaincies by the Ministry for the Environment and Protection of the Territory;
• the group by the General Fishery Direction of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Insignia

Like related coast guards around the world, the Guardia Costiera uses "The Stripe" on its vessels. This marking is in the national colors, with a narrow green band, a narrow white spacing, and a broad red band. Inside the red band is a white circle with a black anchor.

Ships

Patrol Boats

(6)

• Saettia class
• Saettia (CP 901)
• Diciotti class
• Diciotti (CP 902)
• Dattilo (CP 903)
• Fiorillo(CP 904)
• Peluso (CP 905)
• Corsi (CP 906)

Small Patrol Boats

(9)

• Cavallari class
• Cavallari (CP 401)
• Pennetti (CP 402)
• Fachin (CP 403)
• Magliano (CP 404)
• Scialoja class
• Mazzinghi (CP 405)
• Scialoja (CP 406)
• Lolini (CP 407)
• Grabar (CP 408)
• Ingianni class
• Ingianni (CP 409)

Motorboats

(272)

• 6-15 ton
• CP 2083 class (51 vessel)
• CP 542 class (65 vessel)
• CP 601 (2 vessel)
• CP 702 class (12 vessel)
• CP 803 class (13 vessel)
• CP 816 class (25 vessel)
• CP 830 Giubileo class (6 vessel)
• CP 841 class (48 vessel)
• 16-50 tonn
• CP 2203 class (5 vessel)
• CP 255 class (6 vessel)
• CP 262 class (4 vessel)
• CP 271 AGA (extended range) class (28 vessel)
• CP 318 class (4 vessel)
• CP 456 class (3 vessel, Ambulance ships)

Rigid-hulled inflatable boats

(212)

• GC 166 class (184 vessel)
• GC A01 class (28 vessel)

Aircraft

! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- | Agusta AB412 || || Search and Rescue || AB412 || 9 || built by Agusta |----- | Piaggio P.166 || || Maritime patrol || P166 || 7 || |----- | ATR 42 || || Maritime patrol || ATR42 MP || 2 || 1 on order |----- | AgustaWestland AW139 || || Search and Rescue || AW 139 || 0 || 2 on order |}

References

External links

• Guardia Costiera homepage (in English)