The 39th edition of the "Una Vita per il Mare" (A life dedicated to the sea) award took place at the Sala Nobile, in the Palazzo del Consiglio dei twelve cavalieri di S. Stefano, in Pisa, Italy. The event was organized by the Italian Naval League of Pisa, honoring maritime professionals who have went above and beyond by promoting, safeguarding and protecting the seafaring culture.
As part of the ceremony, the Italian Naval League, Pisa Section assigns this prestigious award, which this year was presented to Captain Gennaro Arma, for his conduct as leader of the cruise ship Diamond Princess. Captain Arma was the last person to leave the quarantined ship in Japan after 3700 passengers and crew, disembarked the ship and safely returned home. During the ceremony, the Pisa section of the Italian Naval League presented award, consisting of a gold medal, to a member of the Port Authority-Coast Guard Corps, who distinguished himself, particularly during the last year.
After his return to Italy, Captain Gennaro Arma and 15 Italian Officers from the Diamond Princess received a hero's welcome. Among the first to greet them was the Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio.
Captain Arma received several awards including the highest honor of the Italian Republic - Order of Merit, for his commitment and courage by President Sergio Mattarella and recognition of Magister of Amalfi Civilization for the Byzantine New Year.
Known as "The Brave Captain" among his crew and passengers, Captain Arma demonstrated incredible leadership at the helm of the Diamond Princess hit hard by the pandemic, managing to prevent panic breaking lose, maintaining the spirit of the crew and the guest as high as possible under such circumstances.
Arma spoke about the difficult weeks aboard the Diamond Princess, which has become a hotbed for Coronavirus. “It was a completely new situation, which never happened before, it was difficult to imagine how it would evolve, my thought was to keep the ship safe and maintain the health of the people on board in optimal conditions.” The tension, which could happen in such a situation, actually never happened. "There has always been an excellent relationship of collaboration between the various authorities, I am very satisfied with the work that has been done on board by all of my crew".
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Born in Sorrento, Italy Captain Arma started working for Princess Cruise Lines in 1998 as a cadet. He works up the company’s ladder and eventually becomes the Captain of the Diamond Princess in 2018. He is married to his lovely and supportive wife, who lives in Italy with their young son. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, most people did not know much about Captain Arma, unless they have worked or sailed with him. However, with the raise of the Coronavirus pandemic and the fear that took upon the hearts and minds of many as the virus started to spread rapidly, the world turned towards the Diamond Princess as it became quarantined.
