Last modified: 2008-07-19 by dov gutterman
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At the 1940
Spanish house flag source - the third one of the thirdrow has
been identified as 'Regia Azienda Monopolio Banane'.
Quote from<countrystudies.us>:
“By 1935 the Italian government had constituted a Royal
Banana Plantation Monopoly (Regia Azienda Monopolio Banane -
RAMB) to organize banana exports under state authority. Seven
Italian ships were put at RAMB's disposal to encourage the Somali
banana trade. After World War II, when the United Nations (UN)
granted republican Italy jurisdiction over Somalia as a trust
territory, RAMB was reconstituted as the Banana Plantation
Monopoly (Azienda Monopolio Banane - AMB) to encourage the
revival of a sector that had been nearly demolished by the
war.”
This account leaves out the colourful fate of some ships,
unimaginatively named RAMB I through IV, which on the outbreak of
war were equipped as auxiliary cruisers planning to hinder Allied
lines of support. RAMB I actually made it to the Indian Ocean
only to be stopped by HMNZS Leander whereas RAMB II reached Japan
only to be sunk at the end of WWII. RAMB IV became a
British hospital ship sunk by the Luftwaffe. Best of all fared
RAMB III since after a German stint it became Marshal Tito’s
property!
Source for the above: several articles on Italian Wikipedia
plus a few in English.
One further link at <www.aidmen.org>,
point us to an article in the ‘Rivista Marittima’ (in
Italian).
The image of the flag is
not very clear. On a dark blue field the shape of a yellow
eagle displayed can be made out; it is placed within a yellow
cartouche whereupon rests the royal crown, in full colour.
Possibly the eagle grasps a yellow fasces and/or surmounts the
initials ‘RAMB’. At <www.cosevecchie.com>,
the RAMB eagle is shown in
the lower left corner.
Jan Mertens, 16 January 2008
These were four identical ships that were built especially for
the RAMB, just before the war. In fact, war was already looming,
and they were designed to allow for refitting them as cruisers.
RAMB III had been shot at, torpedoed, mined (by herself), bombed,
and to add insult to injury, after she was salvaged for the
second time, they "rearranged her looks".
Actually, the crown is part of the "cartouche": the two
arc end on either side of the crown. The eagle "grasps"
the yellow fasces. (Well, it seems to be on "Is perched on
it"?) Whatever is on top of the fasces sinister of the eagle
in the logo is on the flag as well, but I can't make out the
exact shape. The letters appear to be below it, as the lower part
of the cartouche. The two arcs end at the height of the fasces
and what appear to be the letters "R.A.M.B" fill the
gap, following the circle. Only one dot is recognisable, mid
under, the same width as the arcs and exactly on the circle (or
the other way around). The letters are maybe two and a half times
that height, sticking out a bit on the outside, but more on the
inside. The M seems to stick out more, because one top would
otherwise collide with the fasces, but that's probably not a
feature. It does warn us that these small details we can barely
make out are not necessarily original.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 20 January 2008
image by Ivan Sache, 18 October 2003
The houseflag of Rimorchiatori Napoletani Srl (Naples,
Italy) is blue with combined "FNR" according to
<www.raccontare.com>.
Dov Gutterman, 18 October 2003
image by Jorge Candeias , 4 March 1999
Quartered per saltire, white at the hoist and fly, green at
the top and red at the bottom. A black "R"centered on
the hoist field and a black "G" centered at the fly
field.
Jorge Candeias, 4 March 1999
The full name of this subsidary is: Rimorchiatory Riuniti
Porto di Genova. It is a tugs company.
Dov Gutterman, 4 March 1999
image by Jorge Candeias, 2 March 1999
Quartered per saltire, the top quarter is green, the fly
quarter white charged with a black "R", the bottom
quarter is dark red and the hoist quarter white charged with a
black "R".
Jorge Candeias, 2 March 1999
image by Jorge Candeias, 4 March 1999
Quartered per saltire, white at the hoist and fly, green at
the top and red at the bottom. A black "R"centered on
the hoist field and a black "S" centered at the fly
field.
Jorge Candeias, 4 March 1999
image by Jarig Bakker, 19 September 2005
Soc. Rimorchi Salvataggi Trieste p.A. (SO. RI. SA.), Trieste -
red flag, a standing fould anchor between "SA", all
white (Same flag as Tripcovich).
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of
the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995.
Jarig Bakker, 19 September 2005
image by Jarig Bakker, 13 July 2004
At home I have a stout "Larousse Commercial
Illustré" (a kind of trade encyclopedia) published in
Paris, 1930. It has four pages in colour illustrating house
flags; a note identifies it as the work of Sandy Hook.
In this book, I found "Roma" S. di Navigazione, Genova:
blue with white diamond touching the edges, a large red
serif-less letter 'R' in the centre. I estimate the letter
to be 1/2 of flag height.
Jan Mertens, 20 December 2003
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
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
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
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
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
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
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, 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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
The houseflag of
Valentino Gennarino S.r.l can be seen at <www.gennarini.net>.
Dov Gutterman, 4 November 2003
The houseflag of
Valtomar Shipping S.r.l can be seen at <www.valtomar-shipping.com>.
Dov Gutterman, 4 November 2003
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
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
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