Navigational history 1900 - 1960

Navigational history from 1900 to 1960

At the beginning of the 1900, Società Lariana had 17 steamboats. On July 30, 1926, the motor ship Milano, began its service of transporting 500 passengers, while in July of 1927 the Trento was launched, propelled by 24 meter propellers. In the 1930s the Lake's navigation underwent a decline, due to the development of roadway motorization, Società Lariana was forced to request funds from the Communications Department. In 1939, specifically to meet the automotive requirements, a ferry service between Cadenabbia and Bellagio was established with the barge Tremezzina driven by a 120-horsepower Tosi engine.

In 1940 the arrival of the war, as well as the inability to perform maintenance, and the lack of and personnel caused the situation to plummet. In the Autumn of 1944 Società Lariana opted for the decentralization of the fleet far-removed from the usual anchorages.

Most of the fleet found shelter between Ossuccio and the island of Comacina; the ships were covered by nets and vegetation to render them less-visible to the airplanes passing overhead. The allies arrived on April 29, 1945 and with that the reconstitution of the fleet began. Società Lariana's concession of lake navigation management expired on December 31, 1950. The situation precipitated August 21, 1952 when Società Lariana headquarters received a letter from the Motorization inspectorate containing an injunction to immediately suspend navigational services, thereby closing one of the Italy's most glorious lake navigational companies.

Management was placed in the hands of a commission, then given over to the state. Between 1952 and 1953, under the Governmental Management, various new boats were launched; the Varese, Benaco, Narcisio and six Uccelli series speedboats.