On Monday morning, a large cetacean, most likely a fin whale, entered the inner port waters of Naples near Molo Beverello. The Coast Guard immediately arrived on the scene and is monitoring the animal. To ensure safety, hydrofoil traffic has been temporarily suspended. Specialists from marine institutes have also joined the operation to assess the mammal's health and help it return to the open sea.

Hydrofoil Traffic Suspended

As a precautionary measure, a temporary suspension of fast ferry connections to Ischia, Capri, and Procida has been ordered.

Coast Guard Intervention

Maritime units arrived at the scene and are continuously monitoring the whale's movements.

Involvement of Marine Institutes

Experts from the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station and the Zooprophylactic Institute in Portici are assessing the animal's condition.

An unusual event occurred on Monday morning in the port of Naples. Residents and tourists could observe a large marine mammal, likely a fin whale, swimming in the inner port basins, very close to Molo Beverello. The Italian Coast Guard (Guardia Costiera) was called to the scene and is monitoring the situation from boats and a pontoon. The main goal is to ensure safety for both the animal and maritime traffic. Consequently, a decision was made to temporarily suspend hydrofoil services, which normally depart from this location to the islands of the Gulf of Naples, such as Ischia, Capri, and Procida. Whale sightings in the Gulf of Naples, while rare, are not unprecedented. The Tyrrhenian Sea region, to which the gulf belongs, is a migration route for some cetacean species. The Anton Dohrn Zoological Station, involved in the current operation, is one of the world's oldest research institutions dedicated to marine biology, founded in 1872 by a German naturalist.Specialists from two renowned institutions—the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station and the Zooprophylactic Institute in Portici—have been engaged to assess the intruder's health and develop a strategy for its safe return to open waters. Their task is to determine whether the animal is sick, exhausted, or disoriented, which could have caused its dangerous journey into the port. „Sorpresa nel porto di Napoli questa mattina dove è spuntato un cetaceo, probabilmente una balenottera.” (Surprise in the port of Naples this morning where a cetacean appeared, probably a fin whale.) — ANSA.it The operation is being conducted cautiously to avoid further stressing the mammal. Authorities hope the fin whale will find its way back on its own, but they are prepared for a longer operation if necessary.