Italian utility companies are not usually super-efficient at disconnecting the services of late payers but this week a water company acted quickly and cut off an important client – the legendary US Sixth Fleet, which operates in the Mediterranean Sea out of the port of Gaeta [Latina]. By doing so the company nearly caused a diplomatic incident.
The Sixth Fleet once had its headquarters at Gaeta but in 2004 it was combined with United States Naval Forces Europe and the staff as a whole now works from Naples. The USS Mount Whitney is the Sixth Fleet flagship and its only permanently assigned ship. Other US vessels are assigned to Sixth Fleet as they enter the Mediterranean.
Under a confusing and bureaucratic distribution system in the Gaeta area, Aqualatina s.p.a. supplies the water, whilst another private, local company delivers it. The delivery company charges high rates for out-of-hours work and passes these on to Acqualatina. It seems that the Americans got fed up with what they regarded as excessive charges and refused to pay any more bills.
Acqualatina then promptly interrupted their service.
Following an emergency meeting yesterday involving Gaeta’s Mayor and Prefect, the harbour master and representatives of both water companies, the matter has now been smoothed over. In future Acqualatina itself will deliver to NATO vessels in the port.
