It is time to take stock for the Maritime Directorate of Cagliari. The military, 437 women and men of the Coast Guard of Southern Sardinia, operated on a territory of about 950 km of coast from Bosa to Arbatax, equivalent to one eighth of the national coast.
For Admiral Giovanni Stella, at the helm of the Maritime Directorate since last April, « the operational and strategic objectives assigned by the General Command have been achieved , which have guaranteed an important management of the territory, strengthened with the birth of the Local Maritime Office of Villasimius, which took place on 23 July. This institution constitutes a fundamental point of reference for local users and important support for the Maritime Department of Cagliari, in order to guarantee a more incisive institutional activity in southern Sardinia by the Coast Guard, in support of maritime activities and those connected with the civil uses of the sea, in an area with a high tourist vocation, which strongly focuses on recreational and seaside activities and which will also allow greater protection of fishing activities and the marine protected area».
As regards rescue at sea and the protection of people , guaranteed 365 days a year, 24 hours a day by the naval units and helicopters of the Decimomannu base and by the personnel of the 4th Sub Nucleus, 285 people were rescued, following 173 SAR (Search and Rescue) operations, including yachtsmen, fishermen, maritime crews, swimmers and divers, 21 urgent medical evacuations (Medevac) from board ships in transit, approximately 55,000 per year.
In the field of navigation safety , the inspection activity led to the control of 100 ships flying a foreign flag - of which 22 were subject to detention measures as they did not meet maritime safety requirements - and 161 ships flying a national flag.
The control activity on compliance with the regulations in force regarding state property, fishing and the protection of the marine environment has been intense : for 2024, it recorded 38 reports to the Public Prosecutor's Office for criminally relevant facts, 679 administrative sanctions of which 526 for violations of the bathing and recreational safety ordinance and 114 violations regarding fishing, for an amount of over 165,000 euros; seizures of 114 tons of irregular fish products and 57 fishing gear because they did not comply with the regulations.
Admiral Stella highlights the objectives for 2025: «For us, it will be a year full of events and activities at an international level that will be held in various Italian locations, and it is with pride that I want to underline that one of these – the European Meeting on Search and Rescue at Sea in collaboration with the European Agency Frontex – will be held in Cagliari next February , a city that deserves this institutional attention».
(Online Union)
