The Neptunia was built by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico, Trieste for the Cosulich Line. This ship was the first Italian passenger liner to have the "Classe Unica" or one class accommodation.

The ship was eqipped with four two cycle engines, each direct coupled to a propellor shaft. Two outer engines were of 8 cylinders at 130 rpm producing 4,250hp, the two inner engines were of 9 cylinders at 130 rpm producing 4,750 hp, for a total of 18,000hp.

The maiden voyage of the Neptunia commenced on October 5th 1932 from Trieste to South America. During 1935 the Neptunia began operating on the route to Bombay & Shanghai. During 1937 the Cosulich Line was amalgamated into the Italia Line.

By 1940 the Neptunia was in use as an Italian Navy troop transport.

At 2.00am on August 19th 1941 the Neptunia sailed from Naples in convoy with the Marco Polo, Esperia, and Oceania and naval escorts bound for Tripoli being routed east of Malta. During the daylight hours an air escort was provided. A submarine attack late in the afternoon of August 19th near Pantelleria proved unsuccessful. Whilst on the approaches to Tripoli, with the convoy zigzagging and maintaining about 17 knots in a safe channel, at about 10.20am on August 20th the Esperia was struck by three torpedoes. These had been launched from the British submarine Unique, one of three on patrol in the area. The ship sank very quickly - within ten minutes, whilst the others in the convoy increased speed to try and reach the safety as quickly as possible. Despite the speed with which the Esperia sank over 1,100 people were rescued. The Marco Polo, Neptunia and Oceania reached Tripoli, entering the port at 12.30pm. By 5.00pm on August 21st they had unloaded all their men and materials and sailed for Naples with a destroyer escort.

On September 18th 1941 the sister ships Neptunia & Oceania were both sunk by the submarine Upholder whilst part of a fast troop convoy from Taranto to Tripoli. The Neptunia was about 60 miles from Tripoli when it was struck by two torpedoes at 04.10 and fired from 4,000 meters, sinking shortly afterwards. Later in the day the Oceania was hit by a torpedo, but remained afloat. Two destroyers took the ship in tow but it sank after sustaining two more hits. A third ship, the Vulcania escaped being sunk. The Upholder, then based at Malta, was the most successful of all British submarines, at the time of the Neptunia's loss Lt-Cdr David Wanklyn was the commander of the submarine.

General Details

Builder: Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico, Trieste.
Launched: 1932
Length: 589 feet, 179m
Beam: 76 feet, 23m
Draught 27 feet, 8.3m
Weight: 19,475 tons
Deadweight: 20,000tons
Engines: Four CRA Sulzer two cycle engines, two 8 cylinder 8ST68 engines at 130 rpm 4,250hp, two 9 cylinder 9ST68 engines at 130 rpm 4,750 hp, total of 18,000hp.
Screws: 4
Service Speed: 22 knots
Crew: ??
Passengers: ??

Page added February 13th 2009

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