(MENAFN - Muscat Daily) ''Translated roughly, Coragio no manca co semo nez guisto' means 'Proud because we are in the right','' said Lt Cdr Benjamin Scorcelletti, as he pointed at the ITS San Giusto's motto, affixed to the ship's island. Wandering across the ship's deck, he was taking Muscat's media on a guided tour of the EU anti-piracy mission flagship and appeared to be relishing his role as tour guide for the day.Normally the executive officer (second in command) of the Italian Navy's foremost amphibious assault ship, he was happy instead to spend time chatting an easy back and forth with a group of reporters. This ability to engage despite being on a ship of war is typical of Italian Navy personnel: happy, chatty, but fiercely professional when at the office. Last week, the vessel docked at the Port Sultan Qaboos for a few days of rest and relaxation, not to mention a resupply, like so many others that patrol the region - maintaining maritime security, looking out for pirates, combating terrorism or any of the other tasks created by military men.The crew of the San Giusto have had to train hard for the new challenge of pirate patrol. ''To transform the ship from what it was doing on its previous deployment to what it is doing now has been no easy task,'' said Scorcelletti. We will have to work for sure, as once the monsoon is over there is possibility of pirate attacks.''A flight of stairs and a few short corridors away sits the medicinal 'heart' of San Giusto. The medical bay is fully kitted out with the latest equipment and can cover a wide range of needs, from dental work to critical casualty management. Best of all, in this age of the Internet, they can ask for advice from civilian doctors thousands of miles away at any given point of time. ''Having a facility like this gives us a good range of options. The medical requirements are very high on warships, so we have a shock room and can stabilise casualties.There is a hospital in Italy that we are linked to at all times which can serve as a reference point or be used to get a second opinion on a case,'' said Cesare Fantion, Senior Medical Officer. Not that everyone is tasked with interdicting the most dangerous threat to mariners plying their trade through the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, as is made clear in the small but well stocked galley (kitchen) some three decks below.Chefs are busy slicing and dicing, kneading and mixing, preparing for one of the two 'calls to mess' (dinner time) each day. From a land well known for its cuisine, those tasked with ensuring that this reputation is upheld even at sea, take their job very seriously. ''I can assure you that the men on board this ship eat very very well,'' quipped one officer, offering a selection of mini pizzas fresh out of the bakery.
