Venice (WS)

As a peninsula with a north-south extension of approximately 1,000 km, the country would have been predestinated to seafaring since earliest times. But her original inhabitants had been aimed at agriculture and thus the Roman Empire was in the first place a land power. Then increasingly threatened from enemies, also from seaside, a powerful fleet was built up. After the defeat of the most dangerous enemy, Carthago, the Romans gained the absolute predominance over the entire Mediterranean. To provide the growing population with provisions and other goods, a lot of merchant vessels were underway round the year to supply the country. After the disintegration of the Roman Empire, Italy got under the reign of changing powers or suffered under internal conflicts. It was only in the 19th century, that Camillo Conte di Cavour (1810-1861) set up the movement of political resurrection, the Risorgimento. In cooperation with the freedom fighter Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) and his Red-shirts the foreign occupants were expelled and the Papal military forces defeated, thus creating the condition for the proclamation of the independent Kingdom of Italy under the crown of Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy. This historic review may help to realize the late establishment of a sea-going Italian merchant fleet.

Naples, Stazione Marittima (WS)

The start could not be other than moderate. First steamer to cross the North Atlantic was the 828-ton paddle wheeler "Sicilia" of the Pace Brothers of Palermo in 1854. In 1856 the Compagnia Transatlantica initiated a New York service. According to M.R.P. Bonsor, Sicily-based I.&V. Florio inaugurated another Atlantic line in 1879. First enterprise of international importance was the Navigazione Generale Italiana (NGI) , founded in 1881 by amalgamation of Florio and R. Rubattino of Genoa. NGI tried to get a foot into the New York business, but had to let the field to the British and Germans. The Hapag established a foothold in the Mediterranean by founding the 'Italia' Societa di Navigazione a Vapore in 1899 to start with South America services. In 1906 NGI entered the 'Italia' and from 1910 the company concentrated on the North Atlantic trade. A former general manager, Erasmo Piaggio, founded the Lloyd Italiano, which opened Genoa - New York services in 1905, from 1907 in cooperation with the NGI. Other Italian operators running North Atlantic services were La Veloce, initially operating South America routes, and Lloyd Sabaudo, founded in1906 with support of the dynasty. In the same year the brothers Guglielmo and Giorgio Pierce set up the Sicula Americana, later becoming the Sicula Oceanica of Messina, from 1907 running a Palermo - New York line first with the 6,300-ton twin-screw steamers "San Giorgio" and "San Giovanni" in 1911 joined by the somewhat bigger "San Guglielmo", a nice white 8,341-ton liner with two buff funnels, sporting red/blue/red rings. In 1910 another new company emerged, the S.N. di Servizi Marittimi.

Genoa, Ocean terminal (old card, coll. WS)	"Raffaele Rubattino" of 1882, NGI (old card, coll. WS)
"Europa" of 1907, La Veloce (Museum of Salem, coll. WS)	"America", 1908, NGI, La Veloce colours (old card, coll. WS)
"Regina d'Italia" of 1907, Lloyd Sabaudo (old card, coll. WS)

The variery of small enterprises without doubt was a reason for Hapag to acquire in 1913 the little company Ligure Brasiliana and to reconstitute it as Transatlantica Italiana S.A. di Navigazione. Immediately two passenger steamers were commissioned. In 1915 the 9,738-ton "Dante Aleghieri" and sister "Giuseppe Verdi" entered the New York service. In the same year Italy declared war on the side of the Allies, but Hapag had sold its shares in due time.

To cope with the growing emigration movement from Southern Europe, Navigazione Generale Italiana (NGI) had placed already in 1913 orders with Swan & Hunter of Newcastle for two four-screw liners, "Giulio Cesare" (21,848 tons) and "Duilio" (24,281 tons), proud two-funnel ships designed to carry 2,373 passengers, 1,824 of which in the emigrant decks, and to cross the Atlantic at 19 knots. Owing to the war, the ships could take up their provided Genoa - New York service not before 1922 resp. 1923 (in 1928 they changed to the company's Buenos Aires route). In the meantime, in 1917, NGI had created the 'Transocanica' Societa Italiana di Navigazione, which took over the Sicula Oceanica and the Lloyd Italiano.

When in 1919 Trieste was ceded to Italy, the Unione Austriaca di Navigazione of the Cosulich family was reorganized under the new name Cosulich Societa Triestina to operate a Trieste - New York line. Largest ship was "Kaiser Franz Joseph", a two-funnel liner of 12,567 tons, built at Cantiere Triestino in 1912, carrying 1,980 passengers, then renamed "Generale Diaz", soon later "President Wilson". Modernized in 1926, she sailed as "Gange" in the new ownership of Lloyd Triestino on the company's Far East line and from 1936 between Venice and Alexandria as "Marco Polo" (in 1944 the ship was sunk by the Germans to block the port of La Spezia). Cosulich showed interest to polish up its reputation and commissioned two proud diesel-powered 24,470-ton transatlantic liners for a Trieste - New York connection with calls at Venice, Patras (Greece), Naples, Messina, Palermo, Gibraltar, Lisbon and Halifax. Delivered from Cantiere Navale Triestino of Monfalcone in 1927 resp. 1928, the "Vulcania" (23,970 tons) and the "Saturnia" (24,270 tons) were marked by a short single motor ship funnel.

The necessary concentration of the Italian transatlantic services led to an extension of the NGI group. In 1921 La Veloce became integrated and then also Transoceanica was fully amalgamated. From 1928 NGI operated under a pooling agreement with the Cosulich Line and also the Lloyd Sabaudo.

"Vulcania", luggage sticker of 1932 (coll. Ioanna Koutsodontis)

"Conte Grande", Lloyd Sabaudo (old card, coll. WS)

Between 1921 and 1927 the Lloyd Sabaudo took delivery of a quartet of twin-screw two-funnel liners named after personalities of the Italian history: "Conte Rosso", "Conte Verde", "Conte Biancamano" and "Conte Grande" of about 25,000 tons, providing a berth capacity of 1,750 and to cross the Atlantic at 20 knots. Later they were used on the South Atlantic. Having worked as troopship "Heremitage" for the U.S. Navy in World War II, the "Conte Grande" was thereafter refitted for commercial duties on the South America route, occasionally calling at New York. By 1960 all four ships had finished their career.

In the 1920s the NGI decided to re-enforce its North Atlantic services by introduction of two large two-funnel ships which were delivered from Ansaldo of Sestri Ponente in 1926. They differed from another by their propulsion: The four screws of the "Roma" (32,582 tons, 19 knots 1,575 berths) were driven by steam turbines, the "Augustus" (32,650 tons, 19 knots, 2,210 passengers) was powered by four sets of diesel engines. Re-motorized and enabled to make 21 knots in 1937, "Augustus" as well as "Roma" were transferred in 1937 to the South America route. During WWII both ships were provided for conversion into aircraft carries. New turbines should enable them to an operation speed of 30 knots. Neither the planned "Aquila" (ex "Roma") nor the "Spaviero" (ex "Augustus") had been completed. The first was torpedoed, the latter was sunk by the Germans at the port of Genoa.

"Rex" and "Conte"
With attention the managements of the NGI and of the Lloyd Sabaudo had followed the construction of the German 50,000-ton liners "Bremen" and "Europa". Animated and supported by the Italian government under Mussolini, each of the two Italian premier companies developed plans of their own for ships of similar proportions. The NGI placed an order with Ansaldo, the Lloyd Sabaudo with Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico. Delivery fell into the worldwide economic crisis. To prevent cancellation, the government arranged the merger of both companies into the 'Italia' Flotte Riunite, later simply known as 'Italia'. Under its colours it united Cosulich, Lloyd Sabaudo and NGI of Genoa - and the government granted generous subsidies. In 1936 a further re-organization was decided, but the 'Italia' remained government-controlled by the Finmare institution.

"Rex" (old card, coll. WS)

"Conte di Savoia" (old card, coll. WS)

The launch ceremony for the 51,062-ton "Rex" (provided name had been "Guglielmo Marconi") was performed in presence of King Vittorio Emanuele III on 1st of August 1931. On 28 October followed the 48,502-ton "Conte di Savoia" (provided name "Dux" or "Conte Azzuro"). Each of them featured two short funnels in the national colours. According to the opinion of experts and ship fans, the "Conte" showed more elegant proportions. Showpiece of her interior was the Salone Colonna, a replica of the famous 17th century Palazzo at Rome, extending over 2,000 sqm of deck. It took the "Rex" 11 months to get rid of several technical deficiencies, including an engine failure during her maiden voyage in late 1932. But then, on 27 September 1933, she achieved finally what she was expected to. She crossed the Atlantic between Gibraltar and New York in 4 days, 13 hours and 58 minutes, setting a new speed record at 28.92 knots and became the new holder of the Blue Riband for the next 4 years. Her geared steam turbines transmitted their power of 100,000 h.p. onto four screws. Accommodation was provided for 2,098 passengers in 4 classes, the First being quite luxurious, the others maintained in decent elegance. The "Rex" served the route Genoa - Naples - Gibraltar - New York until 1940.

In that year Mussolini pushed Italy into WWII on the side of Hitler's Germany, aiming to annex the Cote d'Azur, Corsica and Tunisia. In 1943, when Mussolini was overthrown and Italy changed fronts, the "Rex" was requisitioned by the Germans and handed over as a matter of form to the Mittelmeer-Reederei in March 1944. On 4 September of the same year she was sunk by an Allied air attack near Capodistria and scrapped after the war by the Yugoslavs.

The "Conte" served from late 1932 the same route as the "Rex", offering accommodation for 2,200 passengers. During her maiden voyage a leak had to be repaired. She was the first ship fitted with anti-rolling stabilizers, being however of little effect. During World War II she was laid up at Venice. Although under camouflage, she was sunk by bombing in 1943. Raised after the war, the ship, a reminder of the Mussolini era, was not repaired and was broken up in 1950.

After World War II
When peace was restored, the Italian merchant fleet was shrunk to 10 percent of its pre-war tonnage. Apart from the American Export Lines, it was the Greek Line that established connection between the Eastern Mediterranean and North America for the first post war years, calling at Italian ports. Greek-owned Home Lines operated a regular Genoa - New York service from 1949 with the "Atlantic" (ex Malolo", "Matsonia") and the "Italia" (ex "Kungsholm"), see chapter Levant - America.

"Atlantic" of Home Lines, Naples, early 50s (old card, coll. HSch)

The refurbished "Saturnia", Venice 1964 (HSch)

In October 1946 the government managed to constitute the 'Italia' Societa di Navigazione as successor of the pre-war Italia enterprise. It became generally known as the Italian Line. "Immediate plans revolved around recovering and refitting "Saturnia" and "Vulcania", both in reasonably good condition, and using them on an austerity Mediterranean - New York service managed by American Export Lines...", informed Ships Monthly (Dec. 2007). From January 1947 both refurbished ships operated for the Italian Line, the "Saturnia" until 1965. The "Vulcania", heavily damaged by hitting a reef off-shore Nice in 1972, was scrapped two years later.

As an Italian competitor appeared Sitmar, founded in 1938 by the Russian immigrant Alexandr Vlasov. Engaged primarily in the Australian migrant traffic, the company took up New York services in 1954.

The Italian Line tried with supreme effort to ward off minor competitors. In 1950, on occasion of the Catholic Holy Year, the company transferred the pre-war "Conte Biancamano" from the South Atlantic to the New York route. In the meantime, the Italian merchant fleet had regained with a tonnage of 2.5 million approximately two third of its pre-war capacity and tried for its former position. At that time the chance stood quite good and the Italians felt compelled to order two new North Atlantic liners, which were to belong to the most beautiful of their kind. As the first was launched the "Andrea Doria" from the Ansaldo yard on 16 June 1951. This excellent proportioned twin-screw liner of 29,083 tons with elegant clipper bow, single mast on the bridge house and a modern funnel showing again the national colours, entered the Genoa - Naples - New York route on 14 January 1953. Her noble interior featuring decent luxury, designed by the famous architect Gio Ponti, corresponded greatly with the ship's profile. Laid out for 1,241 berths, she managed an average of 23.3 knots. The popular liner enjoyed however only a short life. On 25 July 1956 she was rammed in a foggy night by the Swedish motor ship "Stockholm", whereby 47 persons were killed. Thanks to the sophisticated safety concept, the ship sank capsizing only after 12 hours near Nantucket. The shipwrecked were taken over by the "Ile de France".

In 1955 entered the "Cristoforo Colombo" (29,191 tons) as partner of the "Andrea Doria" the line. Her accommodation, designed by the architect Gustavo Pulitzer, presented a more conservative style. From 1965 she operated from Trieste and changed - now with white painted hull - in 1973 on to the South America route. In 1977 the ship was acquired by the CVC Siderurgica del Orinoco of Venezuela to be used as a hotel ship and in 1980 she went to Taiwan to be broken up.

"Cristoforo Colombo" at Trieste (old card, coll. HSch)

"Cristoforo Colombo", departure from Genoa (old card, coll. HSch)

After the "Andrea Doria" disaster, the Italian Line reassigned temporarily the "Conte Grande", the "Giulio Cesare" and "Augustus" from the South Atlantic to the North Atlantic route. As a replacement for the "Andrea Doria", the Italian Line took delivery in 1960 form Ansaldo of the somewhat bigger but otherwise similar "Leonardo da Vinci" (33,430 tons). She run on the New York route until 1976, thereafter she was used for tourist cruises. In 1980 she burnt out at La Spezia and was scrapped the following year.

"Michelangelo" and "Raffaello"
To replace the aging "Saturnia" and "Vulcania", the Italian Line decided to order two highly modern twin-screw turbine liners to cope with the best afloat on the North Atlantic. In 1965 the "Michelangelo" of 45,911 tons was delivered from Ansaldo and the 45,933-tons sister "Raffaello" from Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico. They had a capacity of 1,772 passengers in a three-class layout. Both ships represented the typical Italian post-war style, featuring a sleek hull with clipper bow and underwater bulb, and - as most remarkable - two funnels, the rear one somewhat shorter, clad with an open grill structure topped with a flat exhaust deflecting device giving the ships an unmistakable appearance. The luxurious interiors were designed by a team of prominent architects under the supervision of Luigi Barbarino. Modern steam turbines developed 87,000 h.p. enabling the ships to travel at 30 knots, but the operational speed of 26.5 knots was relatively moderate due to reasons of economy. Acting as Italy's pride at sea, the ships served the traditional Genoa - New York route. In 1966 the "Michelangelo" was damaged in a storm, whereby 3 persons were killed. Somewhat later the "Raffaello" suffered by fire.

The "Michelangelo" and "Raffaello" have been the last ocean liners built for an Italian company. In June 1959, a few months before the jetliner entered the North Atlantic service, the labour unions immobilized Italy's merchant fleet for 40 days. One and a half decade after, the jetliner dealt the deathblow to transoceanic passenger shipping. After a long dispute with the labour unions, the Italian government decided in 1974 to stop almost completely the money-loosing transoceanic services of the prestigious shipping lines incorporated into the state-owned holding Finmare. Among the 21 ships to be taken out of service were the "Michelangelo" "Raffaello", "Augustus", "Leonardo da Vinci", "Cristoforo Colombo", "Verdi" and "Donizetti". In 1976 (according to Douglas Ward) the Italian Line stopped the last transatlantic operations. Some ships were transferred to cruising, but finally only the privately-owned companies survived - see charter Cruises.

In 1976 the "Michelangelo" and "Raffaello", were sold to Iran and ended without entering the cruise business. They were used as hulks to accommodate navy officers at Bandar Abbas. After the Islamic revolution, the ships were left on decay. In 1986 the "Michelangelo" went on her last voyage to a ship breaker at Pakistan where she was broken up in 1992. "Raffaello" was sunk by an aircraft missile attack during the war with the Iraq in 1983.

"Michelangelo", Genoa 1967 (HSch)	"Michelangelo", Genoa 1967 (HSch)
"Michelangelo", 1st-class cabin (contemporary press)	"Michelangelo" (contemporary press)

"Raffaello", Genoa (old card, coll. HSch)