Sarzana (La Spezia), 30 July 2026 – At the Sarzana shipyard, Intermarine S.p.A. (IMMSI industrial group – IMS.MI) has begun fibreglass lamination of the hull of the second New-Generation Minehunter commissioned by the Italian Navy.
The construction of the latest New-Generation Minehunter refers to the contract signed in 2024 by Intermarine and Leonardo S.p.A. (acting as a temporary joint venture) with the Directorate of Naval Armaments (NAVARM), for the supply of 5 mine detection and clearance vessels – New-Generation Minehunters/Coastal (NGM/C) – and related integrated logistical support.
Work on the program, which involves the renewal of the Italian Navy’s minehunting capability, is being conducted at a time of geopolitical complexity, when the threat posed by naval mines is compromising freedom of navigation and leading to significant economic and commercial repercussions around the world.
The lamination ceremony was held in the presence of the Director of Naval Armaments, Chief Inspector Admiral Cristiano Nervi, and the local civil authorities, who were welcomed by the Chair of the Immsi Group, Michele Colaninno, and by the Chair and CEO of Intermarine, Antonino Parisi and Livio Corghi. It was also the occasion for the unveiling of the hull of the first NGM/C, which is currently being fitted out.
Thanks to the modular nature of the project and the deployment of state-of-the-art unmanned system technologies, the New-Generation Minehunter will deliver innovative capabilities that significantly expand the range of possible missions, from minehunting – with the unique ability to operate safely in mined areas – to seabed surveillance operations for the monitoring and protection of critical underwater infrastructure (oil and gas pipelines, power cables and data backbones) and the safeguarding of cultural assets in the marine environment.
Work on the second hull will follow the same stages as the first unit, assuring the Navy of a program designed to provide Italy with a tool to combat naval mines, ensure seabed surveillance, guarantee free use of the sea, and protect critical underwater infrastructure. The new project retains the distinctive construction of the hull and the entire vessel structure in advanced composite materials of the previous Intermarine minehunters. This is the result of ongoing research which, from the 1970s to the present day, has seen the development of three minehunter classes, many of which are still in service.
The vessels combine the consolidated technology of a hull able to guarantee high resistance to underwater explosions, non-magnetism and silence with the cutting-edge technology of unmanned vehicles. The synergy between the two technologies creates a highly efficient integrated solution designed to offer greater safety, rapid response and an operational capability extending across the entire underwater dimension, setting a new standard for systems to counter the threat posed by naval mines.