Giro di Bitta

Tale of young people employed as officers in the merchant navy, by choice.

Life in a cargo ship is not easy. You live away from your family and friends, for months and months.

Any kind of connection, phone-line included, is a luxury.

Even with the rest of the crew, coming from all around and speaking different languages, you usually do not share too much, unless the space. Feeling still alone, most of the times.

You work every day, at any hour and under any weather conditions.

No Saturdays, Sundays or bank holidays exist.

There is just one mission: to bring both the ship and the cargo to safety, without ever neglecting the security of the crew.

It is a very demanding job and a strong motivation is needed to face it, especially for the youngest, more likely to give up.

To become an officer of the merchant navy you have to attend the Nautical Institute, get through 12 months of training on large ships, study hard to get all the certifications needed and finally pass a qualification exam.

The circle formed by the upper gallon on the uniforms, which shows the rank of an officer, it is called "giro di bitta" in the jargon.