by InTrieste
With summer bringing heavier recreational boat traffic to the waters of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy’s Coast Guard is urging boaters to prepare carefully before heading out to sea, emphasizing that proper planning and safety checks can help prevent accidents.
The appeal comes as the Coast Guard’s annual “Safe Seas and Lakes 2026” operation continues through Sept. 20. Launched on June 16 by the General Command of the Italian Coast Guard, the initiative deploys patrol vessels, aircraft and personnel from the Maritime Directorate of Trieste to safeguard residents, tourists, swimmers, recreational boaters and divers along the region’s coastline throughout the summer.
In addition to routine patrols, inspections and search-and-rescue operations, the Coast Guard is conducting public awareness campaigns promoting safe navigation, environmental protection and compliance with boating regulations, including recently introduced legal requirements.
Before departing, authorities recommend that boaters take a few minutes to complete essential safety checks. These include reviewing marine weather forecasts before and during the trip, ensuring there is sufficient fuel with an adequate reserve, confirming that all onboard documentation is valid and up to date, and inspecting life-saving and safety equipment to verify that it is complete, functional and appropriate for the intended voyage.
The Coast Guard also highlighted new provisions introduced under Italy’s Law No. 70 of May 7, 2026, which amended the country’s Recreational Boating Code.
Under the updated rules, foreign-flagged recreational vessels up to 24 meters in length that are owned by Italian citizens or companies based in Italy must carry documentation proving the vessel’s seaworthiness while navigating or moored in Italian territorial waters.
If the vessel’s flag state does not issue such certification, owners must obtain a technical inspection from a recognized organization. The resulting certificate, known as the Attestazione dello stato dell’unità (Certificate of the Vessel’s Condition), must be kept on board and presented during inspections. Although it is not a formal safety certificate, the document confirms that the vessel poses no apparent risk to navigation or the marine environment.
Authorities are advising affected owners and captains to verify whether their onboard documentation needs to be updated, noting that failure to produce the required certificate when requested may result in administrative penalties.
The Coast Guard said safe navigation depends on shared responsibility, encouraging boaters to prepare thoroughly, comply with regulations and respect the marine environment so that emergency resources can remain focused on protecting lives at sea.
