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Introducing Admiral Giuseppe de Giorgi, the former Italian Chief of Navy who Sails with Sea Shepherd
Friday, 21 Jul, 2017
A year after retirement from the highest command in the Italian Navy, that of Chief of Staff (2013-2016), Admiral Giuseppe de Giorgi is assisting Sea Shepherd and Gabonese authorities to stop illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing off the coast of Central West Africa on Operation Albacore.
Admiral Giuseppe de Giorgi on Operation Albacore. Photo Michael Rauch/Sea Shepherd.
Admiral de Girogi joined the Sea Shepherd vessel Bob Barker in Port Gentil, Gabon on the 4th of July as a bridge officer and coxswain, and was part of the team that arrested two illegal fishing trawlers by the border with Congo on the 11th of July.
The Neapolitan admiral brings unique experiences from a distinguished military career to the Bob Barker crew. He was the Commander of the Italian cruiser ITS Vittorio Veneto from 1997 to 1999 before serving as Commander of the Maritime Task Force of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in 2006 for which he received the “Military of the Year” award at the Smithsonian National Air Museum in Washington, D.C..
As Chief of Staff of the Navy, he directed a 5.7 billion Euro expansion of the Italian Navy to include the construction of an amphibious ship, ten frigates, a logistics vessel and 2 special operations stealth vessels.
Admiral Giuseppe de Giorgi on the small boat patrol for Operation Albacore. Photo Michael Rauch/Sea Shepherd.
"Sea Shepherd is fighting a war against greed and cruelty, protecting the oceans and the endangered species that share with us the right to live on this planet. This is a war that I am gladly willing to fight. I am proud and honored to be allowed to be a part of the crew of the M/Y Barker."
Admiral Giuseppe de Giorgi
Captain Adam Meyerson and Admiral Giuseppe de Giorgi on the M/V Bob Barker. Photo Michael Rauch/Sea Shepherd.
When Admiral de Giorgi was introduced to Sea Shepherd Captain Peter Hammarstedt at a speaking engagement at Castello di Lerici in Liguria, Italy, he offered to volunteer for Operation Albacore:
“Upon retirement, I knew one thing for sure. I didn’t want to quit being a sailor. But I needed a mission - a worthy mission. In my 45 years with the Navy, I’ve seen the degradation of the marine environment, the loss in biodiversity, the dramatic effect on wildlife procured by a relentless and cynical exploitation of the oceans. Sea Shepherd is fighting a war against greed and cruelty, protecting the oceans and the endangered species that share with us the right to live on this planet. This is a war that I am gladly willing to fight. I am proud and honored to be allowed to be a part of the crew of the M/Y Barker”.
Admiral de Giorgi has since been a most valued crew member on board the Bob Barker, a passionate and effective champion of ocean conservation who is contributing both his time and expertise to taking back the seas from poachers.
Sea Shepherd is incredibly proud of the volunteer service of Admiral de Giorgi, the first admiral to serve aboard a Sea Shepherd vessel; a nature lover and maritime professional who is a decisive person of action – in both his military service and his conservation advocacy.
Listen to Admiral de Giorgi describe his first whale rescue in the video below: