The Cosulich Line, formally the Cosulich Societa Triestina di Navigazione, is a
steamship
A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...
line that was based in
Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into provi ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. The company had been founded in 1889 by Antonio F. Cosulich's son as a family business. In 1903 as Unione Austriaca di Navigazione, more commonly called the Austro-American or Austro-Americana Line, when Trieste was under the rule of
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
. After the
first World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the company became an Italian-based shipping company. In 1932 the company was forced to merge with the
Lloyd Sabaudo and the
Navigazione Generale Italiana
Navigazione Generale Italiana (NGI) was an Italian shipping company.
History
The company formed in 1881 by the merger of '' I & V. Florio'' of Palermo and ''Raffaele Rubattino'' of Genoa. At the time of the merger, the two companies both operate ...
, to form the
Italian Line
Italian Line and from 1992 Italia Line, whose official name was Italia di Navigazione S.p.A., was a passenger shipping line that operated regular transatlantic services between Italy and the United States, and Italy and South America. During ...
.
History
![Ansichtskarte Reedereiflagge Freiheitsstatue, um 1909](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Ansichtskarte_Reedereiflagge_Freiheitsstatue%2C_um_1909.jpg)
In 1857 Captain Antonio F. Cosulich launched the family business with the 500-tonne ship ''Fides''
[https://www.cosulich.com/history Cosulich] built-in
Cherso
Cherso (, old name: Hersovo / Hirsova) is a village in the Kilkis region of Greece. It is situated in the municipal unit of Cherso, in the Kilkis municipality, within the Kilkis region of Central Macedonia.
Since the 2011 local government refor ...
, a Kavner Island of Istria.
[https://maritime-union.com/company/fratelli-cosulich-spa Maritime Union] The company's first four ships were purchased from England in the year it was founded. The first voyages took place every six weeks and went from
Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into provi ...
to
Mobile
Mobile may refer to:
Places
* Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city
* Mobile County, Alabama
* Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S.
* Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels
* Mobile ( ...
,
Brunswick,
Charleston,
Wilmington, and
Newport News
Newport News () is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia and 140th most populous city in the Uni ...
, as well as to other ports on the East Coast as required. Since business was good, three more used ships were bought in 1897 and four in 1898.
In 1901 was a turning point for the shipping business As a result of the global economic crisis of 1901–1902, some of the ships had to be sold again. In 1902, William Burell left the company and sold his shares to the Cosulich brothers. The share capital was increased, 14 ships were taken over from the Cosulich shipping company and in 1903 the company was renamed ''Unione Austriaca di Navigazione già Austro-Americana e Fratelli Cosulich Società Anonima'' or the Austro-American line.
Unione Austriaca di Navigazione was founded in Trieste in 1903 by Fratelli Cosulich. The Cosulich family originated from the island of Lussino (today
Lošinj, Croatia) now operating as the Austro-American Line, ships of the company carried passengers from Trieste to
Messina
Messina (, also , ) is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of more than 219,000 inhabitants in ...
,
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
,
Palermo
Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...
, and
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
.
Service to
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
n ports and
began in 1907 (though the New Orleans service was quickly discontinued).
![Dampfer MARTHA WASHINGTON der Austro-Americana, Triest](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Dampfer_MARTHA_WASHINGTON_der_Austro-Americana%2C_Triest.jpg)
In 1904 the company had 19 ships. In the same year, passengers were also transported for the first time, since many people emigrated to the United States at that time, and a profitable business area was therefore offered. Here you could also divert customers from the two North German competitors
Norddeutscher Lloyd
Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL; North German Lloyd) was a German shipping company. It was founded by Hermann Henrich Meier and Eduard Crüsemann in Bremen on 20 February 1857. It developed into one of the most important German shipping companies of th ...
and
Hamburg America Line
The Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Aktien-Gesellschaft (HAPAG), known in English as the Hamburg America Line, was a transatlantic shipping enterprise established in Hamburg, in 1847. Among those involved in its development were prominent citi ...
.
With the entry into the passenger business, however, one also reacted to the agreement with the English
Cunard line
Cunard () is a British shipping and cruise line based at Carnival House at Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. Since 2011, Cunard and its three ships have been registered in Hamilton, Berm ...
with the Hungarian government, which planned to take over the Hungarian emigrant traffic.
Cosulich made arrangements with the
Canadian Pacific Steamship Company
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
for service from Trieste to
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
which proved to be uneconomical and was canceled after six voyages. At the outbreak of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, passenger services ceased.
After the
Armistice
An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the La ...
, Trieste came under the rule of Italy. Reorganized as an Italian company under the name Cosulich Societa Triestina di Navigazione, or Cosulich STN, the line, now sailing under the Cosulich Line name, resumed service from Mediterranean ports to New York and South America. In 1932, the Cosulich Line and fellow Italian passenger companies
Lloyd Sabaudo and
Navigazione Generale Italiana
Navigazione Generale Italiana (NGI) was an Italian shipping company.
History
The company formed in 1881 by the merger of '' I & V. Florio'' of Palermo and ''Raffaele Rubattino'' of Genoa. At the time of the merger, the two companies both operate ...
were merged into the state-owned
Italia Flotte Riunite
Italian Line and from 1992 Italia Line, whose official name was Italia di Navigazione S.p.A., was a passenger shipping line that operated regular transatlantic services between Italy and the United States, and Italy and South America. During ...
( en, United Fleets Italy), or
ITALIA, though Cosulich was able to maintain its management from Trieste. When
ITALIA was liquidated in 1937, Cosulich was absorbed into the replacement Italia Societa Anonima di Navigazione, or
Italian Line
Italian Line and from 1992 Italia Line, whose official name was Italia di Navigazione S.p.A., was a passenger shipping line that operated regular transatlantic services between Italy and the United States, and Italy and South America. During ...
.
The company exists today as the ''Fratelli Cosulich Group'', still a shipowner and based in Trieste.
See also
*
Lošinj
Lošinj (; it, Lussino; vec, Lusin, earlier ''Osero''; german: Lötzing; la, Apsorrus; grc, Ἄψορρος) is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea, in the Kvarner Gulf. It is almost due south of the city of Rijeka and part of the ...
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
External links
Fratelli Cosulich GroupGG Archives
{{Authority control
Transport companies established in 1903
Defunct shipping companies
Companies of Austria-Hungary
Companies based in Trieste
Defunct transport companies of Italy
Transatlantic shipping companies
1903 establishments in Austria-Hungary
Transport companies disestablished in 1937
1937 disestablishments in Italy