Today to Genoa the exhibition dedicated to the Rex ocean-going liner is inaugurated



Today to Genoa the exhibition dedicated to the Rex ocean-going liner is inaugurated in the eightieth anniversary of the conquest of the Blue Tape, supremacy of speed on obtained Atlantic in August 1933 on the route Genoa - New York. The exhibition, organized from the Harbour Authority of Genoa that accommodates it in its historical center of Saint George Palace, has a preparation inspired from the famous scene of the film "Amarcord" of Federico Fellini with the enormous illuminated flank of the ocean-going liner that journeys in the night to the wide one of Rimini. The exposure cured by Paolo Piccione is composed of models, photographies, objects, advertising diagram and of propaganda, photographies of age and memorabilia of the great ship entered in the myth.

The Rex, then the greatest ship fleeting than Italian line, was launched in 1931 to Genoa and entered in service in 1932. He had a tonnage of 51.062 tons and a length of 268,20 meters, the maximum width of 31 meters and a draught of 10,07 meters. The 142,000 horses of power allowed to develop it to the car tests the maximum speed of 29,5 miles hour. It had a crew of 756 people and could transport 604 passengers first class, 378 of second class, 410 in tourist class and 866 in third class.

On August 10, 1933 the Rex, to the command of captain Francesco Tarabotto of Lerici, left from directed Genoa to the 11,30 to New York. He arrived to Gibraltar the next day to the 17,30 and left again after an hour. In days 13 and 14 it met rough sea and head winds from the west and south the west and the 16, hours 4,40, reached the devious one of the boat-lantern of Ambrose. The distance from Gibraltar to New York, of 3.181 miles, was covered in four days, 13 hours and 58 minutes, to the average speed of 28,92 knots. The maximum covered carried out in a day was of 736 miles to the speed of 29,61 knots.

"We have virtually reconstructed the Rex - the president of the Harbour Authority has commented, Luigi Merlo - because symbolically we want to draw the attention of the Country to reconstruct the conditions in order to put again with the economy of the sea that could give to an extraordinary contribution to its resumption. A right celebration but also a great opportunity in order to emphasize that also today, as 80 years ago, Italy and Genoa could complete great enterprises and still obtain turned out extraordinary if put in the conditions for making it. The Rex is symbol of technology, courage, human force, abilities. It is entirely genoese producing, the port for being able to construct it, to launch it, to make it to live, he transformed themselves deeply, he adapted the yard of Sestri, the dry dock, constructed a new marine station. He is exactly this that we are making now in order to face naval gigantism, with the same enthusiasm, the same passion, the same tenacity".

The exhibition, that it is profitable possible thanks to the contributions of Banca Carige – Savings bank of Genoa and Imperia, Costa Crociere, Beer Blue Tape, Ignazio Messina & C., Group Joints, PSA Voltri-Pra, Saint George Terminal, Gallery the Image, will be open every day from tomorrow to next the 30 september from hours 10 to hours 18 with free income.