SITMAR LINE. The "Sitmar" Steamship Company was originally incorporated with the Navigazione Generale Italiana.
As an outcome of the deliberations of the Maritime Conventions, the lines of the N.G.I. which served the Mediterranean and Fat East were formed into separate companies, which were subsidised by the State, and one of which was the "Sitmar" Company, whose vessels served Egypt, Syria and the Near East in competi tion with the Austrian and German companies.
In 1912 the "Sitmar" decided to construct new and faster vessels and to provide a more luxurious and comfortable mode of travelling to Egypt than their existing accommodation pro vided. The construction of two large steamers of 12,500 tons displacement was thereupon undertaken, and the whole of the Company's services were completely reorganized a short time before the World War broke out. Upon the outbreak of hostilities the Company's vessels were commandeered by the State for the transportation of troops in the Adriatic and Aegean Seas. Of the 13 vessels so taken, no fewer than 12, having a total tonnage of 62,000, were sunk by enemy vessels. At the cessation of hostilities it was found necessary to reorganize completely the entire service of the Company, and the reconstruction of vessels was begun on a large scale.
The launching of the well known S.S. "Esperia" took place in 1920. After placing• the "Esperia" in the fleet the efforts of the Company were aimed especially at the establishment of a fast, regular service-de-luxe between Italy and Egypt, having weekly sailing from Genoa, at that time taken in turn by the S.S. "Esperia" and the S.S. "Italia." In May 1926 the construction of a new vessel-de-luxe was commenced, the "Ausonia," to take the place of the S.S. "Italia": this vessel was launched in October 1927, and commenced running in 1928.
In addition to this regular weekly express service to Egypt by the fastest vessels in the Mediterranean, the "Sitmar" links up Italy with the principal ports of the eastern Mediterranean by the two fast "circular" lines, which provide a weekly sailing from Genoa to and from Egypt, Palestine, Athens, Constantinople and other ports.
In addition to these are the mail and commercial services of lesser importance : Fortnightly mail service, Tyrrhenian Sea— Danube ; monthly commercial services, Tyrrhenian Sea—Aegean Sea and Tyrrhenian Sea—Black Sea.
The fleet of the "Sitmar" consists of 15 vessels, totalling 116,218 tons. (W. STo.) SITTIDAE : see NUTHATCH.