Andrea Pressendo“I have intended to favor the today’s meeting between the different realities potentially involved – University of Genoa, Municipality of La Spezia and Navy – for a first general joint analysis on the hypothesis promoted by the aforesaid University about the possibility to create a so-called ‘oceanic tank’ for experimental laboratory tests of the forces acting on a marine structure or naval hulls subject to the action of the sea in a simulated context of oceanic scope. An infrastructure of strategic value that, if feasible and realized, would make the La Spezia area unique in the national field, since Italy currently has experimental tanks of the Navy and the National Research Council, but with structural limitations not on an oceanic scale.” – Thus the Undersecretary of State for Defense, Senator Stefania Pucciarelli, after the 1st meeting organized on the subject at the municipal palace.
The event, held in hybrid mode – i.e. with figures in physical presence in La Spezia and others in video-television connection from Rome -, brought together at the table the above-mentioned political authority, a representation of the Municipality led by Dr. Genziana Giacomelli – Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Labour, Economic Development, Vocational Training, Community Policies, University and Research -, representatives of the University of Genoa – Professor Paola Gualeni, Professor Paola Gualeni, Professor at the Department of Naval, Electrical, Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering, as well as Chairman of the Technical and Scientific Committee of the Ligurian Marine Technology District, and Engineer Sauro Gazzoli of PROMOSTUDI Foundation – and the Italian Navy, which participated with Officers of the Infrastructure and Logistics Department of the General Staff in Rome and the Northern Maritime Military Command based in La Spezia.
“The comparison of this morning – continued the Undersecretary Pucciarelli – has allowed the University of Genoa to present its own project idea – which in the first instance hypothesizes the realization of the complex through adaptation of the already existing reservoirs within the area of the Maritime Military Arsenal (the so-called Vasche di San Vito), without however excluding alternative solutions in other areas of the city – and to submit it to a collegial evaluation focusing attention on the relative elements of macro-feasibility and the associated potential criticalities.
I have appreciated very much the open and constructive spirit with which those present have made themselves available to deepen the theme and I have been very pleased to record the unanimous satisfaction with the results of the meeting, which resulted fully functional to the objectives set in the measure in which it has brought out significant criticalities relating to the magnitude of infrastructure works to be implemented – for example, dredging to have a depth of at least 6 meters and the reticular overburden coverage of at least 5 meters for the placement of overhead cranes from which to suspend the models to be tested -, as well as the likely limitations on the feasibility of the hypothesis Vasche San Vito – primarily the plausible constraints of the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape about the historical and cultural interest of the tanks whose construction dates back to the years 1862-1868 – and, not least, the need to find the related financial resources, large and currently unavailable to the University, monitoring any calls, including European, related to infrastructure for research.
This first meeting will be followed by detailed joint investigations to identify alternative areas in the La Spezia area where the work in question could be feasible even in a new configuration”. – concluded the Undersecretary of State for Defence, Stefania Pucciarelli.
