Buy State Flags from Allstate FlagsBuy US flags from Five Star Flags
This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website

Italy - Houseflags of Italian Maritime Companies (G-L)

Last modified: 2006-02-25 by dov gutterman
Keywords: italy | houseflag | house flag |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors




See also:


Gerolomich & Co.


image by Jarig Bakker, 14 January 2005

Nav. Generale Gerolomich & Co., Trieste - red flag, white diamond, black "G".
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


Gilnavi Line


image by Jorge Candeias, 24 Febuary 1999

Dark red over dark blue with a white stripe separating the two main fields and a white "G" over all. The "G" is very similar in shape to those of Grimaldi. Perhaps a member of the Grimaldi Group?
Jorge Candeias, 24 Febuary 1999

From Fratelli Grimaldi formed in 1947 has come the Grimaldi Group operating in two divisions based in Genoa and Naples respectively. Included in the former is Gilnavi Società di Navigazione S.r.l. Indications are that the various companies have differing liveries but in this case the logo used appears to have come from the agency company Sealine S.a.r.l.. whereas that indicated by the company website is for a swallowtail horizontal biband of ordinary red over dark blue with the white "G" as shown. This "G" format also figures in some of the other liveries with a logo for Grimaldi Group suggesting a dark blue swallowtailed flag with a white "GG" on it, whilst Brown 1995 shows a blue ordinary flag with a single white "G" for Grimaldi Compagnia di Navigazione S.p.A. which appears to be a member of the Naples division (company website) although itself based in Genoa (according to Lloyds). Going by the funnel of the latter company their shade of blue is lighter than the other variations.
Neale Rosanoski, 11 April 2003


Giuseppe Messina


image by Jarig Bakker, 11 July 2004

At <www.omniainformatica.it> there is an houseflag for this company.
Jan Mertens, 31 October 2003

Horizontal BWB with in the center the company logo: capital M superimposed by a long C, both red.
Jarig Bakker, 11 July 2004


Grimaldi


image by Jarig Bakker, 11 July 2004

The flag of this company can be seen in the company site.
Dov Gutterman, 23 January 1999

Previous Flag (?)


image by Jarig Bakker, 10 December 2005

Grimaldi Compagnia di Navigazione S.p.A., Genoa - blue flag, white italic "G" (just the one G, perhaps predecessor of the one above with two G's).
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995.
Jarig Bakker, 10 December 2005


Ignazio Messina


image by Jorge Candeias, 11 Febuary 1999


image by Jarig Bakker, 1 September 2005

I believe that this is an italian company. The flag is a red triangle with a white cross throughout and a black shield in the center of the cross containing what seemed to be a 5-pointed star. The original picture was too small, so I'm not at all sure about the exact shape and charges of the shield (particularly the shape above).
Jorge Candeias, 11 Febuary 1999

The company is based in Genoa, so it is Italian company. The image is based on <www.informare.it>.
Dov Gutterman, 11 Febuary 1999

The company website shows an image of the houseflag being a red pennent with a white cross surmounted by the black letter logo "CM". The image displayed from the company website has these letters replaced by a panel of the funnel i.e. black with a white band above a white star. I can find nothing to indicate that this is an actual flag or has replaced the other and it appears to be merely a navigating button for their website. The company have not responded to a query on this matter.
Neale Rosanoski, 18 September 2002

Ignazio Messina & Cia., S.p.A., Genoa - red burgee, white cross; in center intertwined "CM".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995.
Jarig Bakker, 1 September 2005


International Shipping & Investments


image by Jorge Candeias, 4 March 1999

Unequal vertical tricolour of green white and red. The green stripe bears the initials "RR" in white, the white stripe (the narrower) bears something very similar to the portuguese Coat of Arms ,a yellow circular device with holes charged by a white shield with red border. The original picture was too small to see clearly, but something seemed to be in the shield. The red stripe (the wider) bears the initials "ISI" in white.
Jorge Candeias, 4 March 1999

Rimorchiatori Riuiti International Shipping & Investments Ltda formed in 1999 is the full name being a subsidiary of the Rimorchiatori Riuiti S.p.A. group through Portunato & Co. S.r.l..
Neale Rosanoski, 11 April 2003


Istria


image by Jarig Bakker, 19 February 2005

Soc. di Nav. a Vap. Istria, Trieste - blue flag, white diamond, blue "S.I.T.".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26]
Jarig Bakker, 19 February 2005


Italia di Navigazione Srl


image by James Dignan , 13 December 1997


"Italian Line" (probably wrong)
image by Al Fisher , 1 Febuary 1999

Houseflag of "Italia" Societa Anonima di Navigazione.
James Dignan, 13 December 1997

"Italia di Navigazione Srl" is one of the partners in MPE.
Dov Gutterman, 31 July 1999

Stewart shows spear as being white.
Al Fisher, 1 Febuary 1999

Italia di Navigazione Srl and the Italian Line are one and the same. Originating 1932 as Italia Flotte Riunite it was part of the 1936 Italian Government reorganisation becoming from 1.1.1937 Società per Azione di Navigazione Italia and eventually ended as  Italia di Navigazione S.p.A. The flag combines those of Genoa and Trieste with the latter emblem being a "ranseur" or spear head. No other source suggests that the spear was ever yellow.
Neale Rosanoski, 11 April 2003

Due to the 'thirties Depression, various Italian shipping companies were united into a big concern.  From The Ships List, an overview <www.theshipslist.com>: "In 1932, due to the depression and widespread unemployment of Italian ships, the major Italian shipping companies were combined into one state controlled syndicate under the name Societa Italia Flotte Reuniti NGI - Lloyd Sabaudo - Cosulich. By 1937 this concern had made rapid recovery and repaid the Government bonds which had supported it. It was then changed into a Limited Company under the name Italia Societa Anonima di Navigazione. Lloyd Triestino was incorporated into the new company. A new holding company (FINMARE) was formed and created four self contained shipping companies:
ADRIATICA based in Trieste to serve the Adriatic and comprised Adriatica di Nav., Fiumana and Lloyd Triestino's local services.
TIRRENIA based in Naples served the Tyrrhenian Sea and comprised Adria, Tirrenia and Sarda.
LLOYD TRIESTINO based Genoa which covered Africa and the Far East. Comprised Lloyd Triestino, Libera Triestina, Italia Flotte Reuniti's non North and South American routes plus Veneziana.
ITALIA to cover North and South America and comprised Italia Flotte Reuniti, Cosulich, Libera Triestina and Veneziana.
In 1940 most Italian ships were taken over for military service and by 1945, few were left afloat. The fleet was gradually rebuilt but from 1960 the rising popularity of air travel signalled the gradual decline of the passenger ships and they were eventually switched to cruising. By 1977 all long distance passenger travel had ceased, although many cargo ships continued to carry a few passengers. A cruising company was set up (Italia Crociere Internazionali) to employ the remaining passenger vessels but ceased trading in 1980. Italia continued as a freighting company, mostly with second hand or chartered container ships and still operates, but in private ownership."
Jan Mertens, 29 December 2003


image by Jarig Bakker, 19 August 2004

From the link provided by Barbara Tomlinson of The National Maritime Museum <www.nmm.ac.uk>: "The house flag of the Italia Societa Anonima di Navigazione, Genoa. In this example the design appears to be reversed. It combines the St George's Cross of Genoa with the arms of Trieste, represented by a white halberd on a red field. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting with a linen hoist. It is machine sewn and the design is printed. A rope is attached.   The major Italian shipping lines were nationalized under the holding company, Societa Finanziaria Industriale Italiana in 1932 as a result of the depression. In 1936 the fleet was split into four divisions each serving an agreed geographical area. Italia commenced operations the following year on routes to North and South America. By the end of the 1960s Italia's prestigious passenger liners were becoming unprofitable owing to the competition from air transport and the company switched its operations to freight. It is now in private ownership as part of the Fratelli D'Amico Armatori Societa per Azioni, Genoa."
It is possible that the Museum got it wrong, as it seems to be the flag of Lloyd Triestino...
Jarig Bakker, 19 August 2004


Italia Società di Navigazione a Vapore


image by Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004


image by Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004

From <www.timetableimages.com>: 'Italia' Società di Navigazione a Vapore, Genoa. As it happens, the on-line 1912 Lloyds Flags & Funnels has a nice clear picture i.e. No. 1197 on (the electronic) p. 58 at <www.mysticseaport.org>: yellow, a black cross throughout, a blue canton bearing a white six-pointed star which in its turn bears what appears to be a red mirrored figure '6'. Then, of course, it may well be a handwritten uppercase 'I'. The card on <planeta.terra.com.br>, however, shows a fimbriated cross.
More on this firm at planeta site: founded in 1899 but under the control of the German Hamburg-America Line which then (1906) moved to the Navigazione Generale Italiana; becoming a de facto branch of this firm in 1917, sharing its fortunes from then on.
Jan Mertens, 14 July 2004

Italia Società di Navigazione à Vapore - Bonsor describes the flag as having a blue cross so if it were a dark blue shade, as also with the canton, it would fit in with the planeta site image where the two do seem to be a similar colour and it would explain the fimbriation of the cross. Bonsor calls the letter an "I" which has to logical though it reminds me more of a written "T", and makes no mention of the Lloyds version.
Neale Rosanoski, 22 July 2004


Italian Transporti Maritimi


image by Ivan Sache, 25 March 2001

The houseflag of the Italian shipping company 'Italian Transporti Maritimi' is a white field with a St. George's cross and a green star in canton. I suspect the company is (or was originally) based in Genoa because of the St. George's cross.
Source: Znamierowski [zna00], p. 245.
Ivan Sache, 25 March 2001

Full name is Compagnia Italiana Transporti Marittima S.A. and it was based  Genoa. Known as CITMAR it appears to have ceased trading in the early 1970s.
Neale Rosanoski, 11 April 2003


La Creola


image by Jarig Bakker, 19 February 2005

La Creola Soc. Anon., Genoa - Green-red-white-red-green burgee; on white: black "LA CREOLA".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels of British and Foreign Steamship Companies, compiled by F.J.N. Wedge, Glasgow, 1926 [wed26]
Jarig Bakker, 19 February 2005


La Sicania


image by Jarig Bakker, 18 December 2004

Societá Anonima di Navigazione "La Sicania", Trapani - blue flag, over all white diamond charged with red "S"; in all corners a white 6-pointed star.
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


La Veloce

The history of this shipping company here (with image of house flag) at <www.theshipslist.com>: "La Veloce Linea di Navigazione Italiana a Vapore was founded in 1884 to run services between Italy and South America (...). The company was taken over in 1883 by M. Bruzzi & Co who formed La Veloce. (...)  The firm of Fratelli Lavarello (...) was taken over together with their fleet in 1891. In 1900 Italian banks and Navigazione Generale Italiana commenced buying out German shareholders and by 1901 the company was effectively controlled by NGI and the official name became La Veloce Navigazione Italiana a Vapore. La Veloce was absorbed into NGI in 1924 and was liquidated as a seperate company." A slightly bigger picture (is this St George slaying the dragon on this Genoan firm's flag?) here: <planeta.terra.com.br> and lower on the same page, another poster showing it.
Jan Mertens, 22 December 2003

Acording to Mystic Seaport: Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels at <www.mysticseaport.org>, I believe I can confirm tha this is St George slaying the dragon, although the design is still rather small (a line drawing, not coloured). It's flag no. 1249 on p. 61 of chapter "House Flags and Funnels of Steam Vessels".
Jan Mertens, 22 December 2003


Lauro Lines (Flotta Lauro)


image by Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004

From <www.timetableimages.com>: Flotta Lauro (or Lauro Lines), Naples: a blue swallowtail bearing a white five-pointed star.
At <planeta.terra.com.br>, More blue swallowtails here, together with a short history (in Italian: I understand the firm began business as a cargo shipper in 1912 and, going bankrupt in 1980, was sold off to the Mediterranean Shipping Company).
Jan Mertens, 14 July 2004

Brown (1951) list this as "Achille Lauro, Naples".
Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004

Lauro & Montella


image by Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004

From Brown (1951) - Lauro & Montella, Naples - I guess this is related: blue with a yellow diamond, charged with blue letters turned L - M - L.
Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004


Laziali


image by Jarig Bakker, 1 September 2005

Rimorchiatori Laziali S.p.A., Rome - white flag, blue fly-diagonal; in top hoist blue "R", in fly bottom blue "L".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995.
Jarig Bakker, 1 September 2005

"Rimorchiatori" are tugboats (in French, "remorqueurs"). "Laziali" might be the adjective form of "Lazio", Latium.
Ivan Sache, 2 September 2005


Lega Navale Italiana


image by Jarig Bakker, 11 July 2004


Emblem
image from <www.lnianzio.org>

From the Maritime Timetable Images, this 1933 poster of the Lega Navale Italiana <www.timetableimages.com> showing a flag or pennant with a cross throughout and an emblem centrally on that cross, featuring a crowned anchor, a star, a fasces, an ornamental letter L and a band bearing the words 'Mare Nostrum' (Our Sea, as the Romans said).  The flag's field may have been blue and the cross white as in the picture.  Apparently this last entity still exists, only the emblem has understandably been changed <www.lnianzio.org> with the words 'Lega Navale Italiana' on the band and ornamental letters LNI on a disk.  Anchor, stars and letters yellow (or gold), band white with dark blue letters and disk light blue.
As a bonus, what appears to be the LNI's burgee: dark blue pennant with white cross throughout and the emblem centrally on the cross (in white, blue and gold).
LNI history (in Italian) at <www.leganavale.it>. Founded in 1897.  Left of text, a 1938 picture (pennant).  This chief site's emblem has gold letters and a rather dark blue disk.
Jan Mertens, 29 December 2003


Libera del Golfo


image by Jarig Bakker, 5 January 2006

Navigazione Libera del Golfo, S.r.l. (Vessels operating from Sorrento), Naples - blue flag, in top hoist white 5-pointed star; at fly a white standing ladder with 6 rungs.
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995.
Jarig Bakker, 5 January 2006


Libera Giovanni Racich


image by Jarig Bakker, 18 December 2004

Libera Giovanni Racich, Trieste - blue flag, white standing anchor, charged with white "R".
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

This also soud like Italinization of a Slavic name Ivan Racic (as was usual at the time), so quite possibly the company originated on the easter Adriatic coast (where Trieste was one of the most important ports after all). However, I have not found any reference to Racic in my files.
Željko Heimer, 18 December 2004


Lloyd del Pacifico


image by Jarig Bakker, 24 January 2005

Lloyd del Pacifico, Savona - white flag, blue anchor; in canton horizontal RWR stripes; in fly-bottom red "Z".
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


Lloyd Italiano

A house flag from a shipping company in Genoa. I've come across: <planeta.terra.com.br>. Dates given 1904-1918, and some history here at <www.theshipslist.com>: " The Lloyd Italiano Line was formed in Genoa in 1904 by Erasmo Piaggio to operate passenger services to North and South America. The company came under the control of Navigazione Generale Italiana in 1911 and became completely absorbed in 1918."
The company flag is blue with a white diamond touching the flag's edges but... exactly what emblem is in the centre?  Could it be like the watermarks i.e. initials and an anchor?  Does anyone have a clue? 
Jan Mertens, 22 December 2003

Acording to Mystic Seaport: Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels at <www.mysticseaport.org>, The flag in question is no. 1554 on p. 75 of the steam vessel chapter. Emblem on white diamond: blue disk with initials LIL (the first one in mirror-image), said disk encircled by yellow laurel branches (?) and a yellow anchor placed behind same disk.
Jan Mertens, 22 December 2003

To be more exact, as there was an earlier company this name [no flag known], this one was Lloyd Italiano Società di Navigazione. My copy of Lloyds 1912 does not give a clear image as far as the letters are concerned and they look to be white. According to Bonsor the flag was blue, there was a large white diamond and the charge was a yellow anchor surmounted by a blue circle bearing the yellow letters "LI" and I have in my notes a similar record which is unfortunately not sourced. Certainly the letters seem more logical thought the diamond seems more likely to be throughout going by the <planeta.terra.com.br> image. Bonsor does not mention any surrounding leaves but Lloyds is certainly clear on this point. Consequently my guess is a combination of the sources. See here.
Neale Rosanoski, 22 July 2004

If you look at the filigrane of the document in the link provided by Neale, you see that the letters are (mirrored L) - I - L (the 'scontrino' part shows it even better). But during checking I landed on this nearby page, showing a Lloyd Italiano? flag on a 1910 menu: horizontal VWV, bearing some emblem: <planeta.terra.com.br>.
According to 'The Ships List' website, the firm was founded in 1904, taken over in 1911 by the Navigazione Generale Italiana and absorbed in 1918: <www.theshipslist.com>.
So perhaps the former house flag has really come to light. The point in time seems to bolster my little theory, but we need clearer pictures for that!
Jan Mertens, 23 July 2004


Lloyd Sardegna Compagia di Navigazione


image by Ivan Sache, 9 November 2003

Lloyd Sardegna Compagnia di Navigazione S.r.l. was formed in 1990 and is the shipowning subsidiary of Compagnia Sarda di Navigazione Marittima S.r.l. which in turn is a subsidiary of Marsano Armatori S.a.s. who were once directly involved in shipping and flew a white flag with a red cross (Genoa based) with the fesse point towards the hoist and a blue "M" surmounting the sinister arm of the cross.
Neale Rosanoski, 11 April 2003

Lloyd Sardegna (Genoa - Livorno) - White flag with a blue cross, a red letter L in the first quarter and a red letter S in the fourth quarter.
Ivan Sache, 9 November 2003


Lloyd Sabaudo


image by Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004


image by Jarig Bakker, 14 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 Lloyd Sabaudo, Genova: white, in the centre the characteristic Savoy eagle in blue bearing a red oval shield on the breast and a yellow... speck... over its head.  Not very detailed I'm afraid.
On this Italian page however, see the last image: <planeta.terra.com.br> bearing in mind that here, the eagle looks the other way whereas here: <cgi.ebay.de> it's in the same position as Sandy Hook draws it.  It is clear that the 'speck' is meant to be the royal Italian crown, even if the actual house flag was not all that detailed. But on the net we also find a completely different flag, albeit borne by an eagle: <213.4.130.98> i.e. diagonally divided from tophoist corner to lower fly, white and green (green uppermost), a black monogram LS on the white triangle.  This menu dating from 1910, may we suppose that the more patriotic flag S.H. shows was introduced after WWI?
Jan Mertens, 20 December 2003

Lloyd Sabaudo, Soc. Anon. per Azioni, Genoa. In Loughran's Survey of Mercantile Houseflags and Funnels is a ridiculous image: white with a blue eagle with a red triangular escutcheon and on top of the eagle a red crown in thin air. That image has precious little to do with the eagle on the postcards Jan Mertens mentioned. I found a brilliant flag at <digilander.libero.it> a military flag in a museum "Piemonte Sabaudo". That flag is far too intricate for me, but it's good enough to model for my upper image. Second image based on Loughran, 1979.
Jarig Bakker, 14 July 2004

Formed in 1906 it merged in 1932 into what eventually became Italia di Navigazione S.p.A. According to Bonsor the original flag of the green and white diagonal biband was changed in 1914 to that of white with the eagle of Savoy and a yellow crown, there being a close association with the Royal House of that name. All of the shipping sources agree that the eagle is blue and in design basically conforms with that shown on the planeta site rather than the military source shown here.
Neale Rosanoski, 22 July 2004


Lloyd Triestino di Navigazione


image by Jorge Candeias, 12 Febuary 1999

A very dark red and white vertical bicolour, the red part charged with a skinny fleur-de-lys and the white part charged with a very dark red cross throughout.
Jorge Candeias, 12 Febuary 1999

Original of Lloyd Triestino di Navigazione S.P.A flag from http://www.lloydtriestino.it (defunct) can be seen here.
Dov Gutterman
, 2 Febuary 1999

Lloyd Triestino di Navigazione S.p.A. originated 1833 as Lloyd Austriaco which entered shipping in 1836 and was variously known as Austrian Lloyd, Osterreichischer Lloyd, Austro Hungarian Lloyd Steam Navigation Co. or Austrian Lloyds Steam Navigation Co. A similar variation is shown with its flag with the colour blue being consistent but the yellow charge being either a foul anchor topped with a bishop's style crown placed erect, the charge placed diagonally per bend or placed vertical with a more elaborate crown and being above a yellow scroll inscribed "VORWÆRTS". In 1919 it became Lloyd Triestino and switched from Austria to Italy. The first flag under this name was blue with in the canton a coronet above a foul anchor placed diagonally per bend and in lower fly the half spear with all charges being white although Brown 1929 reverses the flag. However it seem unlikely that charges would be placed in upper fly and lower hoist. One source states that this flag was used until 1935 but this is a bit suspect as Brown 1934 shows the current flag which is the reverse of Italia di Navigazione Srl with the same derivations.
Neale Rosanoski, 11 April 2003

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 LLoyd Triestino, Trieste: blue with two emblems, both white: tophoist corner: combined anchor + letters 'L' and 'T', crowned; lower fly, corner: a spearhead, such as in the city's Coat of Arms.
A 1928 picture of the flag here: <www.timetableimages.com> and a photo (at least I think so) here: <www.lloydtriestino.it>.
These emblems' respective positions on the flag are unlikely, as Neale Rosanoski remarked, but it must have been so nevertheless; the flag's dates remain 1919-1934 or 1935.
Jan Mertens, 20 December 2003

See also: Italia di Navigazione Srl


Lolli-Ghetti Carbonavi


image by Jarig Bakker, 10 December 2005

Lolli-Ghetti Carbonavi S.A., Palermo - blue flag, white italic "LG".
Source: Brown's Flags and Funnels Shipping Companies of the World, compiled by J.L. Loughran, Glasgow, 1995.
Jarig Bakker, 10 December 2005