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Italy - Houseflags of Italian Maritime Companies (S-Z)

Last modified: 2010-02-27 by dov gutterman
Keywords: italy | houseflag | house flag |
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Samer & Co. Shipping Ltd


image by Al Fisher, 11 Febuary 1999

Samer & Co. Shipping S.r.l. are noted as mangers for the North Korean company Korea Daesong Trading Corporation in the mid 1990s.
Neale Rosanoski, 11 April 2003


Saremar


new version
image by António Martins, 28 December 2008


old version
image by António Martins, 28 December 2008

This Italian shipping (ferry) company belongs to the state-owned Tirrenia group and serves Sardinia (including the little islands to the north and south of it) and Corsica.  Full name: ‘Sardegna Regionale Marittima S.p.A.’.   Homepage of this Cagliari based firm (in Italian) at <www.saremar.it>.
The firm or subsidiary seems to have been founded in 1988; in all, seven ships are operated .
This page, one of several which show those ships, presents the old and new flag versions.
The old version bears a thin, stylized initial ‘S’ on blue between two white horizontal stripes of which the upper one seems somewhat narrower.
The new version shows the present ‘S’ form: wider and rounder, more resembling the letter in fact, and traversed by a thin blue horizontal line. The white stripes edging the field are narrower. 
Compare with Siremar: Saremar had/has the same design, in reserved colours.
Jan Mertens, 1 December 2008


Sbachi


image by Jarig Bakker, 14 January 2005

Societá Anonima Sbachi, Imbarchi E Transportari, Milano - white flag, red saltire; with in the center white disk, fimbriated green, charged with "S/T" in green.
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26].
Jarig Bakker, 14 January 2005


Seran


image by Jarig Bakker, 5 January 2006

Seran S.p.A., Ravenna - green flag, yellow circle, yellow "S".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995.
Jarig Bakker, 5 January 2006


Sicula Americana


image by Jarig Bakker, 24 January 2005

Soc. di Nav. Sicula Americana, Naples - white flag, red shield with yellow cross.
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26].
Jarig Bakker, 24 January 2005


Sicula Oceanica


image by António Martins, 25 March 2000

I located this company house flag at http://notes4.grimaldi.it/group/f_principale.htm (defunct). You can see it here.
Dov Gutterman, 20 August 1999

Sicula Oceanica S.p.A. was formed in 1955 and is part of the Grimaldi Group.
Neale Rosanoski, 11 April 2003


Sidemar di Navigazione


image by Jarig Bakker, 10 December 2005

Sidemar di Navigazione S.p.A., Genoa - brightblue flag, near top hoist red square charged with white "S", right below it white square, blue "m".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995.
Jarig Bakker, 10 December 2005


Siremar


new version
image by António Martins, 28 December 2008


old version
image by Jarig Bakker, 19 September 2005

Sicilia Regionale Marittima, S.p.A., Palermo - blue-white-blue horizontal triband, on center snake-like "S".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995.
Jarig Bakker, 19 September 2005

Siremar, a ferry operator of Palermo, Sicily (Italy) is a member of the Tirrenia Group.  At <www.siremar.it> they are showing the house flag: horizontally divided blue-white-blue (apparently 1:3:1), the blue initial ‘s’ in the centre.  This is a lower case letter traversed by a horizontal line;
The website informs us that Siremar is the brief form of ‘Sicilia Regionale Marittima’ or ‘Sicily Regional Maritime (Co.).  It also presents the fleet consisting of eight traditional ferries, three fast ships, and ten hydrofoils (The first ship ‘Palladio’ shows an apparently older company logo – did it also appear on a flag?)
In any case the (current) house flag can be seen at shipspotting flying on the bow of ‘Simone Martini’ (copyright Roman Maruhn). Some other Shipspotting photos show the same flag flying on the roof mast but most of these are hardly visible, unfortunately.
Siremar offers various routes for instance one linking Naples to the Aeolian Islands (of which Stromboli is probably the most famous); from Palermo to Ustica; or to Pantellaria and other Pelagian Islands.
Jan Mertens, 14 December 2007

This page shows the house flags, old and new design.
Jan Mertens, 30 November 2008


Sitmar Line


image by Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004


image by Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004

From <www.timetableimages.com>: Sitmar Line (Societá Italiana di Servizi Marittimi): blue, a large white letter 'V' (no serifs) on it (second picture on this page, sailing schedule dating from 1965).
Various sources point out a difference between the pre- (i.e. WWII) and post-war company. Anyway it was founded in 1913 by a Russian émigré, Alexander Vlassov (hence the 'V') but flew another flag seen in this 1927 sheet (fourth on this page): i.e. a broad white diagonal from upper hoist to lower fly bearing letters 'SM'(no serifs), left triangle green and right one red with a white five-pointed star in the upper fly. For a (very small) colour picture, see the first print here. The royal Italian crown was extensively used in pre-war (WWII) advertising.
Company history, concentrating on the various ships at <www.simplonpc.co.uk> where we learn, for instance, that P&O acquired Sitmar Cruises in 1988 and that a swan would have replaced the 'V' on all funnels (and consequently on the house flag?). See the 'Fairstar (1964-88)' episode for that.
Jan Mertens, 14 July 2004

The two different flags result from the "Sitmar" name being used by two difference companies. The second flag with its diagonal triband etc. belonged to Societŕ Italiana di Servizi Marittimi which was formed in 1913 and merged into Societŕ Anonima di Navigazione Lloyd Triestino as part of the 1936 Italian Government shipping reorganization. The Vlasov connection under the Sitmar brand was with Societŕ Italiana Trasporti Marittimi S.p.A. which began operations prior to WW2 (probably 1938 which is a date given by Talbot-Booth for the start of the Vlassov group) and traded as Sitmar Line using the Vlasov blue flag with a white "V. Around 1970 it ceased to be a shipowner with the fleet being registered under name companies operated by another group member and presumably acted then as charterer of what used to be its own fleet. Whether the company continued to exist I do not know and possibly it was just the brand name that continued to be used until in 1980 they set up Sitmar Cruises Inc. once again as a shipowner which was then sold to P&O in 1988, at which point there would be a change of flag although there might have been an interim change for one showing the stylized swan "S" logo as is noted by <www.simplonpc.co.uk/Sitma> as appearing on the funnel of Fairstar just prior to the P&O takeover. Normally I would expect a cruise ship to fly a similar flag to its funnel design, even if only in a secondary role, and this would probably occur with the two swan versions plus that of the dolphin logo which the site mentions. After the takeover it continued under this name until changing in 1991 to Princess Cruise Lines Liberia Inc.
Neale Rosanoski, 23 July 2004


image by Ivan Sache, 29 April 2008

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of "Societŕ Nazionale di Servizi Marittimi" (#339, p. 53), a company based in Roma, as divided green-red by a broad ascending diagonal stripe, and with white "S" and "M" in the green and red part, respectively.
Ivan Sache, 29 April 2008


S.N.A.M


image by Jarig Bakker, 5 January 2006

S.N.A.M. S.p.A. (Soc. Nazionale Azionare Metano - Dotti S.p.A.), Milano - yellow flag, black 6-legged dragon spitting a red flame.
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995.
Jarig Bakker, 5 January 2006


Societá Anonyma de Navigazione a Vapore Genovese


image by Jarig Bakker, 18 December 2004

Societá Anonyma de Navigazione a Vapore Genovese, Genoa - white flag; in center red ring, containing a red 5-pointed star on white; in hoist top red "S"; in bottom fly red "G".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26]
Jarig Bakker, 18 December 2004


Societŕ Commerciale Italiana di Navigazione


image by Ivan Sache, 24 April 2008

Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house flag of "Societŕ Commerciale Italiana di Nav." (#304, p. 51), a company based in Genoa, as white with a  red border and a red  "R" in the middle.
Ivan Sache, 24 April 2008

Surely 'R' for Edilio Raggio, Italian business tycoon (1840-1906) who with two brothers founded the 'Societŕ Italiana di Transporti Marittimi Raggio & Co.' (lasted merely 1882-85, sold out to 'Navigazione Generale Italiana') and went it alone with the company.
Link to photo of 'Carmen' showing the funnel (R' in evidence) at <www.agenziabozzo.it/Carmen.htm> and to photo of 'Jupiter' (is that the house flag we see?) at <www.agenziabozzo.it/Jupiter.htm>.
Jan Mertens, 27 April 2008


Sorima


image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 28 February 2008

From the 1940 Spanish house flag source (last of second complete row) - 'Societŕ Ricuperi Marittimi' (Maritime Recovery Co.) or “Sorima” of Genoa. Description of the flag: Azure, the Italian national colours (but small and undefaced) in the canton.  “Azure” might be an apt term to describe this blue colour when compared to the other variants of blue on this page many of which are rather dark.
Destined to become a pioneer in salvaging, Sorima was founded in 1926. The first much publicized feat was be the recovery of gold lost when the British ship `Egypt' sunk in the Bay of Biscay (1922), an operation that would take several years. A constant factor was the introduction of new techniques and equipment operated from the `Artiglio', the most famous of Sorima's ships. See following pages (in English, Spanish, and Italian) for details and many relevant photos:   <www.deepimage.co.uk/egypt_onlinearticle.htm>, <www.deepimage.co.uk/egypt_history.htm>, <www.cibernautica.com.ar> and   <www.leganavale.it>.
I understand Sorima stopped business (when exactly I do not know - probably in the nineteen seventies) – when it proved impossible to work below a depth of more than a few hundred metres with the technology of the day.  Nowadays an `International Artiglio Award' honors similar endeavours.
Jan Mertens, 26 and 28 February 2008


TARROS Line


image by Jarig Bakker, 19 September 2005

TARROS Line (Traghetti Autotrasporti Rapidi Rogioni Organizzazione Sarda S.p.A., Cagliari) - white, a blue outlined rectangle, a yellow rectangle and the firm's logo in the center.
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995.
Jarig Bakker, 19 September 2005


Tirrenia


image by Jarig Bakker, 13 July 2004

From "The dumpy book of ships and the sea" (ed. Henry Sampson, published by Sampson Low, London, circa 1957):
"Tirrenia" Societa Anonima di Navigazione: Blue with a diagonal running from honour point to bottom fly. The diagonal is yellow over red. In upper fly, a capital "T" (white?), in lower hoist a Lion Passant regardant (possibly crowned, possibly yellow?).
James, 18 October 2003

The "T" is yellow; lion uncrowned.
Sources: All about Ships and Shipping, 1938, 1959; Lloyd's Calendar 1959.
Jarig Bakker, 18 October 2003

At the 1940 page at <www.24flotilla.com>: "Tirrenia", Naples - The lion is almost rampant – on the other hand there is not very much space to ramp about in!
Jan Mertens, 5 January 2008

TOREMAR as well as Caremar and Siremar belong to the state-owned ‘Tirrenia di Navigazione’
Jan Mertens, 30 November 2008


TOREMAR - Toscana Regionale Marittima


new version
image by António Martins, 28 December 2008


old version
image by Jarig Bakker, 28 October 2005

Toscana Regionale Marittima S.p.A. (TOREMAR), Livorno - horizontal triband BWB, blue slanting fanged "T".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995.
Jarig Bakker, 28 October 2005

TOREMAR or ‘Toscana Regionale Marittima’, an Italian shipping (ferry) company established at Livorno (Leghorn).
The new flag is shown here (top row): The blue horizontal stripes are smaller and the blue initial ‘t’ larger, and lower case.   Flickr photo showing that flag (albeit small).
However the company website shows a ‘t’ traversed by two parallel horizontal lines.
TOREMAR as well as Caremar and Siremar belong to the state-owned ‘Tirrenia di Navigazione.
Jan Mertens, 30 November 2008

See also: Navigazione Toscana


Transatlantica Italiana


image by Eugene Ipavec, 1 August 2006

According to <www.theshipslist.com> - Founded in 1904 and based at Genua, the ‘Transatlantica Italiana S.A. di Navigazione’ was part of the deal when Hamburg America Line bought Ligure Brasiliana in 1913.  A year later, the firm was renamed ‘Transatlantica Italiana’ and finally in 1915 the Germans were pushed aside – Italy had entered WWI on the side of the Allies.
In 1916, then, Transatlantica was bought up by ‘Societŕ Nazionale di Navigazione di Genova’, member of the Gruppo Ansaldo. As the name says, the company operated lines across the Atlantic, connecting Italy to New York and South America.  But when the Ansaldo Group went out of business and conditions worsened, Transatlantice started selling off the ships and ceased to exist in 1934.  
For the house flag, see this ticket at   <zallio.hollosite.com> and poster, showing – seemingly – a double-sided flag as we can read the initials from left to right at <www.gbreda.it>. It shows a red swallow-tailed flag with a white five-pointed star in the centre, within a white laurel wreath, and white initials ‘T’ and ‘I’ to the left and right of the star, respectively (but they seem to have black ‘insides’ which do not show up on the flag in the poster.). On metal advertising plaque from a German agent, active 1924-1928 at <www.uni-klu.ac.at>, the initials are firmly black, fimbriated white.
So it seems Transatlantica's flag had three colours, after all.
Jan Mertens, 10 June 2006


Tripcovich


image by Jarig Bakker, 13 July 2004


Probably the old flag
image by Jarig Bakker, 13 July 2004

The houseflag of Agenzia Tripcovich S.r.l (from Trieste), can be seen at <www.tripcovich.com>.
Dov Gutterman, 26 October 2003

The old flag is after Brown's Flags and Funnels (1951) - there is a brilliant rendition of the logo on a sail at <www.tripcovich.com>.
Tripcovich Shipping Agency was established on November 11, 1895, by Diodato Tripcovich, born in 1862 in Dobrota, Gulf of Kotor, from a family having deep-rooted seafaring traditions.
Jarig Bakker, 13 July 2004

According to the company website Diodato Tripcovich formed Ditta D. Tripcovich Societŕ di Armamento e Agenzia Marittima which later, going by an image, became Societŕ di Navigazione D. Tripcovitch & Ci. This image includes a red sail bearing a white foul anchor between the white letters "S" and "A" and this is the flag shown by sources from Lloyds 1912 to Stewart 1963 and although Lloyds 1904 shows a version with the anchor being without the cable. By the beginning of the 1980s, by which time the title is shown as D. Tripcovich & C. S.p.A. di Navigazione Rimorchi e Salvataggi, the ship owning activities only involved tugs and this appears to have ceased briefly before Lloyds show Armamento D. Tripcovich S.r.l. being formed in 1984 and again operating sundry tugs and research vessels until around the end of the century but whether they used the previous flag is not known. The current firm of Agenzie Tripcovitch S.r.l. with their biband pennant and yellow anchor are apparently the modern descendent, being involved in port agency and associated functions.
Neale Rosanoski, 15 July 2004

At the 1940 page at <www.24flotilla.com>: "Tripcovich", Trieste - Initials and (foul) anchor are somewhat bigger but then our image is a reconstruction. See also 1912 Lloyds under no. 900 `D. Tripcovich, Trieste, at <www.mysticseaport.org>.
Jan Mertens, 5 January 2008


TTT lines


image by Eugene Ipavec, 4 January 2008

Linking Naples and Catania (Sicily) – and now Taranto as well -  this Italian ferry company maintains a website (in Italian) at <www.tttlines.it>. The firm operates two ships, ‘Partenope’ and ‘Trinacria’, names which recall Naples and Sicily; the acronym means ‘Tomasos Transport & Tourism SpA’. Company seat is Naples. The conditions of transport (‘Condizioni di Trasporto’, left menu) lead to pdf files which, oddly, show the house flag upside down (indirectly confirmed by the presence of a reassuringly ‘balanced’ star on the ships’ bows and the funnels). The brochure (same, left menu) does better: sky blue field, two narrow white stripes parallel to the horizontal edges, between said stripes a white disk bearing a yellow five-pointed star. One point up! 
‘Sky blue’ as the flag may be found elsewhere – also a drawing, by the way – having a much darker field at   <www.federazionecampeggiatoripiemontesi.it>.   Clear photo (copyright G. Linizhuber, 2007) with admittedly dark field, last on the page at <www.ferry-site.dk> flying on the bow of ‘Partenope’.  
Some company history gleaned from this page (note the similar funnel): Of Greek origin (Leros, Chios), Emmanuel Tomasos started shipping in the Mediterrenean and the Black Sea from 1886 on. His son Constantino – note the Italian form – founded ‘Constantino Tomasos Trasporti Marittimi’, a shipping agency, at Naples in 1910. After WWII the family invested in bulk ships and – later – tankers.  Tomasos Brothers Inc. has offices in Piraeus and Naples, the latter being the seat of TTT Lines concerning us here.
Jan Mertens, 2 January 2008


Valentino Gennarino

The houseflag of Valentino Gennarino S.r.l can be seen at <www.gennarini.net>.
Dov Gutterman, 4 November 2003


Valtomar

The houseflag of Valtomar Shipping S.r.l can be seen at <www.valtomar-shipping.com>.
Dov Gutterman, 4 November 2003


Veneziana di Navigazione


image by Eugene Ipavec, 29 December 2009

The laguna and river craft operator Veneziana di Navigazione SpA was established at Venice, not the famous fashion company bearing the same name (nor even the pre-war shipping company with a very similar name) Website, Italian only, at <www.venatrasporti.it>.
The ‘Flotta’ (i.e. fleet) page for an overview of the various waterborne workhorses. These vessels or floating equipment include tugs, pontoons (motorized or not), barges, and motorboats in various sizes, adapted to the special environment they service.
I could not find a photo of the house flag (one vessel has it painted on) but there an image of it included in the the complete logo. The flag itself is white, bordered red, bearing a large red initial “V” without serifs.
Jan Mertens, 20 December 2009


Vetor


image by Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004

This Vetor Aliscafi houseflag can be seen at the company site at: <www.vetor.it>.
Dov Gutterman, 23 January 1999

The flag of Vetor Aliscafi (Italy) is a white logo on blue. What does the logo look like?
The original image is way too small to see.
Jorge Candeias, 13 Febuary 1999

I guess it's a large V - but I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't a houseflag at all...
Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004

Vetor Aliscafi should be Vetor Sr.l. being formed 1971 by Torquato Vecchiarelli and now incorporating all of his shipping. The website image is now a bit clearer and appears to be a light bright blue bearing a large white "V" though the font is unclear.
Neale Rosanoski, 15 July 2004


Villain & Fassio


Earlier version
image by Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004


Later version
image by Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004

Villain & Fassio, Soc. Italiana di Nav. Mercantile p. A., Genoa.
Earlier version - from Loughran (1979): same flag as "Fassio", but with blue letters V&F on white.
Same company - later version from Loughran (1979): White with a red St. George's cross; in the canton the old company flag.
Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004