Italian ship Vulcano

This article is about the individual Italian ship. For the Italian class of ship, see Vulcano-class logistic support ship. For the Austrian ship, see SMS Vulcano.

Vulcano (A 5335)^[1] (Italian: Nave Vulcano (m))^[2] is a warship of the Italian Navy, a Vulcano-class logistic support ship, the lead ship in its class.^[3] It was built as part of a joint project between Italy and France to build such ships.^[4] It is a replenishment oiler auxiliary ship.^[5][6] Vulcano has the pennant number A 5335.^[1]

Italian ship Vulcano

History
Italy
Name	Vulcano
Ordered	2015
Builder	Fincantieri
Launched	2018
Commissioned	March 2021
In service	in active service, as of February 2024[update]
Identification	Pennant number A 5335
General characteristics
Class & type	Vulcano-class logistic support ship
Displacement	27,200 tons
Length	193 m (633 ft)
Speed	20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	235
Aircraft carried	2 EH-101 helicopters

Specifications

Further information: Vulcano-class logistic support ship

^[3][4][1][6]

• Name: Vulcano
• Pennant number: A 5335
• Yard number: 6259

• Ship's complement: 235 personnel
• Passenger quarters: 200 people
• Length: 193 m (633 ft)
• Speed: 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
• Displacement: 27,200 tons
• Embarkment for 8× 20 ft (6.1 m) mission modules, for personnel and healthcare
• Drinking water creation for supply to land
• 2500 kW power creation for supply to land
• Onboard crane for lift of 30 tonnes (30 long tons; 33 short tons)
• Helicopter operations
  • Helicopter hangar
  • Maintenance and repair
  • 2× EH-101 helicopters
• Small boat operations
• At-sea rescue and recovery operations capability
• Naval command and control centre
• Naval communications centre
• Non-lethal defensive array

Supply operations

Vulcano functions as a logistics vessel a naval supply ship for delivery of supplies to naval operations and transfer to other ships

• Fuel replenishment
• Water replenishment
• Food replenishment
• Parts replenishment
• Ammo replenishment

Hospital operations

Vulcano also functions as a floating hospital, hospital ship

• Operating rooms
• Radiology rooms
• Analysis rooms
• Dental office
• 17 bed hospital ward

History

Vulcano was ordered by Italy in 2015 as a logistics support ship. The logistics support ship was built by Fincantieri at the Naval Integrated Shipyard in Muggiano In 2019, four more ships were ordered by France in the pattern of Vulcano, the Vulcano-class logistic support ship. Vulcano was launched in 2018. She started sea trials in December 2019.^[3][4] Vulcano was delivered to the Italian Navy in March 2021.^[4] She was later commissioned into the Italian Navy, also in March 2021.^[1]

In December 2023, the ship was deployed to Arish, Sinai, Egypt; on the Mediterranean coast, for relief operations as a floating hospital, in the Gaza war between Hamas and Israel, for residents of the Gaza Strip. On board were medical crews from the Italian Army, Navy, Air Force.^[7] At the end of January 2024, Vulcano left Arish to return Italy, with patients aboard for further treatment in Italy.^[8] The vessel returned to La Spezia, Italy by the beginning of February 2024.^[9]