Last modified: 2021-06-28 by rob raeside
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image by Al Fisher, 11 February 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
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
image by Miles Li, 18 June 2016
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, 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
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
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 Società Italiana di
Servizi Marittimi which was formed in 1913 and merged into
Società Anonima di Navigazione Lloyd Triestino as part of the
1936 Italian Government shipping reorganization. The Vlasov
connection under the Sitmar brand was with Società 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 "Società 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
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 Eugene Ipavec,
4 February 2011
T.B. Trizio provides us with a seldom seen house flag (see pdf file):
http://www.gelsorosso.it/copertine%20gelso/schede%20volumi/selezione%20adriatica.pdf,
namely, the one flown by ‘Società Anonima di Navigazione Adriatica-Venezia’
(1916-1926).
Divided by an ascending diagonal, white (hoist) and red
(fly), in the hoist red abbreviation “S.A.” and in the fly the heraldic
representation of St Mark’s lion, with the lion not only holding a book but a
sword as well, facing the hoist, in yellow.
We learn that the firm was
founded in Venice in 1916, taking over a ship from the Lloyd Adriatico; by 1920
three ships were operated. I believe the company, with many others, was merged
into what was to become Adriatica di Navigazione.
Jan Mertens, 1
February 2011
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 Ivan Sache, 24 April 2008
Lloyd's Book of House Flags and Funnels (1912) shows the house
flag of "Società 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 'Società 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
Steam Shipping Co. "Adriatica"
image by Eugene Ipavec,
4 February 2011
Following source authored by P.B. Trizio (p. 4 of pdf file) briefly discusses
an Italian shipping company established at Bari, ‘Società di Navigazione a
Vapore Adriatica’:
http://www.gelsorosso.it/copertine%20gelso/schede%20volumi/selezione%20adriatica.pdf
Founded in 1888 in the hope of rivaling ‘Puglia’,
also based at Bari, the firm mainly exported local agricultural produce across
the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. It ceased to exist in 1897.
Taken from above page is the house flag of bright blue bearing a
large white five-pointed star: attachment. Patriotism may
have influenced the choice of colour and design element.
Jan Mertens,
31 January 2011
image by Eugene Ipavec,
3 February 2011
Trieste based ‘Società di Navigazione Alto Adriatico’ (“Northern Adriatic
Shipping Co.”) is represented on this flag & funnel page (last of second row):
http://www.webalice.it/cherini/Naviglio/galleria.htm. Most of what is found
on the ‘net concerns a number of local traffic, sometimes cruise, vessels
operated by NAA from 1962 on and sold off gradually till the end in 1978 due to
the growth of land traffic. These are ‘Ambriabella’, 'Dioneo’ and ‘Edra’
lovingly described on a number of web pages, for instance:
http://www.yachtlife.it/YL-RP/RPnews-2.pdf
http://www.trasporti-fvg.it/italiano/navi1.htm
http://www.myambriabella.com/
The house flag was white with light blue design elements: a border, a
five-pointed star in the upper hoist and initials “NAA” in the lower fly.
Jan Mertens, 28 January 2011
image by Miles Li, 26 June
2016
Source: Colin Stewart, Flags, Funnels and Hull Colours [ste63]
Miles Li, 18 June 2016
images located by Jan Mertens,
February 2011
‘Società Veneziana di Navigazione a Vapore’ (i.e. Venetian Steam Shipping
Co.) was an Italian shipping company established in Venice – where else –
founded in 1898, starting out with two vessels. The Ships List mentions routes
to India (Calcutta), China, and Japan. We already know that this firm cooperated
with Lloyd Triestino to found ‘San Marco’ (1926) although this partner remained
a tough competitor. ‘Alto Italia’ was financially interested. The economic slump
proved fatal to SVNV which was wound up in 1937:
http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/veneziana.htm,
http://www.gravitazero.org/history/caboto/caboto_3.htm. It is nice to find
SVNV ships’ histories on the ‘net but alas! many of these tales end with the
vessel being sunk during WWI.
SVNV flew a striking house flag uniting
the national with the Venetian colours, see p. 59 (image 224) of the 1928 German
Flaggenbuch, part II, FOTW bibliographical ref. [d9e28]. Green field bearing a
white diamond enclosing a red-above-white rectangle on which is placed the
yellow winged lion of Venice, facing the hoist, resting with one paw against a
green promontory with a light-tower on it, at left. White company initials
“SVNV” appear in the green field’s corners.
A simpler version (no
landscape, only the lion) is shown here:
http://www.naviearmatori.net/gallery/viewimage.php?id=104562. The lion
appears on a red rectangle containing no further design. I tend to “believe” the
version with the light-tower (why invent such a detail, after all) but in fact I
do not know which is the right one, supposing that no two variants have existed
over time.
Jan
Mertens, 15 February 2011
image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 28 February 2008
From the 1940
Spanish house flag source (last of second complete row) -
'Società 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
