Guglielmo Marconi

The Guglielmo Marconi was one of two sister ships commissioned by Lloyd Triestino for their Italy-Australia service, named after the inventor of morse code. Built by Cant. Riuniti dell' Adriatico in Monfalcone, she was launched on September 24, 1961.

Design and Construction

The vessel featured innovative design elements including a projecting bulb bow and a unique telescopic funnel that could be raised while at sea to better disperse fumes. Her clean lines were emphasized by a white hull and superstructure, complemented by a buff funnel and blue boot topping.

Technical Specifications

Specification	Detail
Gross Tonnage	27,907 tons (alt. 27,905)
Length	702 ft (214 m)
Beam	94 ft (28.7 m)
Draught	28 ft 4 in (8.6 m)
Propulsion	Steam D.R. geared turbines
Power	40,000 SHP
Speed	24 knots
Passenger Capacity	1,700 (100 first, 200 interchangeable, 1,400 tourist)

Service History

The Guglielmo Marconi began her inaugural voyage in November 1963, establishing a monthly service between Italy and Australia. Her regular route included calls at Genoa, Naples, Messina, Port Said, Suez, Aden, Fremantle, Melbourne, and Sydney, with a journey time of 23 days. Genoa served as her home port throughout her career.

Passenger Accommodations

The vessel introduced new standards of luxury to immigrant travel. Her deck arrangement included Captain's, Lido, A, Promenade, and B decks. First-class public rooms featured distinctive tall windows in the winter garden area on the promenade level. First-class passengers enjoyed open deck space forward and a dedicated veranda and Lido area positioned two decks up, aft of the funnel. The ship's design allowed for conversion to single-class configuration when needed.

Final Years

The Guglielmo Marconi served the Italy-Australia route until her retirement in 1975, operating alongside her sister ship Galileo Galilei.