AN ITALIAN navy ship docked at the Albanian port of Shengjin today to bring the first group of 16 migrants intercepted in international waters.

The naval ship Libra left the port of Lampedusa on Monday with 16 men — 10 from Bangladesh and six from Egypt — who were rescued at sea after departing from Libya, a ministry spokesman said.

Last week Italy formally opened two centres in Albania where it plans to process thousands of asylum-seekers outside its borders.

The centres will only house adult men, while women, children, the elderly and those who are ill or victims of torture will be held in Italy. 

Italian ambassador to Albania Fabrizio Bucci said on Friday the two centres were ready to process migrants after the opening was delayed for months to consolidate the crumbling soil at one centre in Gjader.

Though the centre in Gjader has capacity for 3,000 migrants, it will start with 400 and increase to 880 in a few weeks.

The number of people reaching Italy along the central Mediterranean migration route from north Africa has fallen by 61 per cent in 2024 from 2023.