Italian Navy landing helicopter dock Trieste commissioned into service

The Italian Navy's new landing helicopter dock Trieste pictured on trials. The ship was formally commissioned into service on 7 December. (Luca Peruzzi)

The Italian Navy has commissioned its new multi-purpose landing helicopter dock (LHD) Trieste (L 9890) into service.

A ceremony to mark the occasion was held on board the ship at the port of Livorno on 7 December, the Italian Navy confirmed the same day.

Trieste was built under a EUR1.1 billion (USD1.3 billion) contract awarded to an industrial consortium led by Fincantieri as prime contractor and including Leonardo as combat system integrator as main subcontractor in July 2015. The ship is equipped with dual-use capabilities that will enable it to carry out a wide range of missions that include humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations as well as more traditional military tasks.

Trieste was laid down in 2017, launched in May 2019, and started sea trials in August 2021. The hull was built at Fincantieri's Castellammare di Stabia shipyard, near Naples, before being transferred to the shipbuilder's Muggiano shipyard near La Spezia, where platform and combat systems outfitting, as well as testing and sea acceptance trials took place.

The new LHD has a full-load displacement of around 38,000 tonnes, an overall length of 245 m, and a beam of 55.5 m. Accommodation on board provides for up to 1,064 personnel, including a crew complement of 360. Propulsion is a combined diesel-electric or gas (CODLOG) arrangement – comprising two 36 MW Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbines, two 12 MW MAN 20V32/44R diesel engines, and two 2.25 MW electrical motors on twin shafts – that enables a top speed of 25 kt and a range of 7,000 n miles at 16 kt.

Trieste