[1/4] A member of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) looks at a migrant after he was rescued by the ship 'Geo Barents' during a search and rescue (SAR) operation in the Mediterranean Sea, January 25, 2023. La Spezia is the furthest and northernmost destination that Italy has assigned to an NGO ship. Forcing NGO ships to reach ever-more distant ports increases costs at a time when budgets are stretched by inflation and higher fuel costs following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Last month, the SOS Mediterranee NGO appealed for donations, saying fuel charges for its Ocean Viking rescue ship had increased by over 1 million euros during 2022. The new docking destinations policy adds to a December decree which forces NGO ships to request and head to a port "without delay" after each rescue, rather than continue looking for boats in distress.

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