They were humanly and morally involved in their business and highly estimated by Ravenna's citizens. They put all their energies in the research for innovation and established in 1909 the Societa Romagnola (Romagna Company) which, in 1911, launched ROMAGNA, the first vessel in the world with a diesel thrust engine, built by Sulzer.

The choice of using a thrust engine instead of a steam one was highly criticized at those times. Everybody thought the reduced weight of a diesel engine could create stability problems to the vessel, lacking of reliability and therefore having no prospective for the future. As ever innovatory begginings encountered resistance.
Those were the years previous to the First World War. The trading with the Istrian and Dalmatian coast became a political issue. Thanks to the strong bond between the Cagnoni Family and Trieste, which was at that time under the power of Austria, Pietro Cagnoni became one of the main exponents of the irredentism in Trieste. They even hosted Cesare Battisti, an Italian-Austrian politician and irredentist, in their Ravenna's residence. At that time Pietro was received by the King of Italy, and he stated before him that he would have created a status belli if Italy had delayed its entrance into war.

When Italy declared war, the motor ship RAVENNA was in Trieste and managed to sail back to Italy filled with patriots. The steam ship of the Cagnoni brothers were among the first ones to help the exodus of irredentists from Austria who, once in Ravenna, left for the Carso to fight for their country.

The poet and writer Gabriele D'Annunzio himself thanked Pietro Cagnoni for the help given to the Fiume issue, writing the following letterto him:

"Dear Sir,
I am aware of how much You have done thanks to Your generosity for our cause. I was informed of Your large donation. I wish to thank You in the name of the citizens and soldiers. Our resistance will last until we will tame the enemy and the destiny.
The resistants greet You sincerely.
Gabriele D'Annunzio
Fiume 5th of October 1919".

The steam ship RAVENNA, deviated the route from Ravenna to Lussino towards Fiume, brought to the legionaries a precious plunder which was described by the Italian writer Margonari as "a considerable loading of supplies, 10 tanks of smoked meat, potatoes, beans and flour, that will be sold according to the price decided by the local provisioning section ".

The fleet of the two Cagnoni brothers was nationalized during the fascist period, and they remained the chief manager of the Departmental Shipping Activity of the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Sea and of the local delegation of the Italian Naval Register.

Andrea Cagnoni, podesta during fascism, was so highly esteemed for his humanity and for his economical activity in the Ravenna's port, that he was decorated by the Chamber of Commerce of Ravenna in 1957, the year he died.
Paolo Cagnoni, Andrea's son, was born in 1906 and worked in the family business as well. He developed an economic activity in Ravenna's port with his Shipping company "Casa di spedizioni rag. Andrea Cagnoni", trading coal first and then oil products.

Paolowas a man of a strong personality and charisma. He volunteered in the army as a fighter pilot during the Second World War. Even though he did not believe in the fascist ideology and was aware of the disaster he was about to be facing, he couldn't shirk his moral duty to defend his own country.

Thanks to the experience in trading timber, coal and oil products, in 1960 Paolo and his son Giorgio decided to re-establish the shipping company, naming it "ROMAGNOLA DI NAVIGAZIONE" that later would become "MEDITERRANEA DI NAVIGAZIONE JCS". The company started the business with an oil tanker, the 1000 DWT RAVENNA, in memory of the old steam ship. Later in 1967 another vessel was built, the 2.400 DWT CATERINA TOMACELLI, equipped with two low draft engines. In the 70s two more vessels were built. (3850 DWT FRADIAVOLO and 2.700 DWT ANDREA CAGNONI).

At the end of the 70s Paolo (the chairman of the company), who belongs to the 4th generation, joined the company, working with his grandfather until he died in 1998 and with his Uncle Giorgio until the beginning of 2007, when he left the company.

The company entered the international market importing the first oil tanker below 10000 DWT, with segregated ballast and double bottom, from Japan in 1980. This tanker was the DWT 5900 PASSATORE.

In the early 80s the company bought 4 new vessels from a Genoese company strengthening its role in the Italian coastal trade (m/c 3000 DWT SABRINA, m/c 5600 DWT NERONE, m/c 7200 DWT BARBANERA, m/c DWT 15000 TOROCOBA).

The aims of Mediterranea di Navigazione have always been to manage the company within the family, to provide high quality for niche markets and to fidelize its customers. In order to pursue these aims, the company focuses on research and specializes in high technology vessels.

In middle 80s Mediterranea di Navigazione released on the Italian market the first 22000 DWT vessel, BARBAROSSA, equipped with an inert gas and segregated ballast tank.

In late 80s the company started trading LPG and built RED DRAGON, an innovative vessel for safety and performances, in Japan in 1989. Up to then Japanese had always built LPG full pressure tankers, with the ballast placed in the double bottom. These ballasts had problems of reduced stability and limited speed in bad weather conditions.

Thanks to the La Valle engineering firm from Trieste, Mediterranea di Navigazione achieved new standards adopting the double hull for the ballast tanks thus obtaining an extremely steady vessel able to plough through the sea with a 15 knot speed even in bad weather condition. This successful venture inspired Mediterranea di Navigazione to open up on the chemical trading. In 1990, after a world wide research, the company went to Singapore to build a petrochemical tanker, the 9200 Dwt LONGOBARDA.

Singapore's shipyards had never built these kind of vessels, they had never worked for the Europeans and they had always dealt only with refitting.

The Keppel group had political and governmental interests in entering the new buildings market through a venture with a leading European group. This enabled Mediterranea di Navigazione to have their projects and standards accepted by the Singapore shipyard at a very competitive price. Cooperating with the MES engineering firm from Trieste and with the Registro Italiano Navale, the company managed to launch their ambitious project LONGOBARDA, two years later, in 1992.
This was the first vessel below 20 000 DWT to join the Italian fleet. The vessel was equipped with special safety devices such as the inert gas. This device eliminates any risk of tank explosions during the loading and unloading and is nowadays considered as an essential standard for the ports at highest risk such as Venice and Genoa.

In 1993 Mediterranea di Navigazione was the first Italian shipping company to be given spontaneously the SMS certification from R.I.N.A. Five years later the international and national regulations made this certification become compulsory for any vessel as a safety standard.
Thanks to their will to be part of the market as operators with the highest reliability and quality standard, not only in realizing but also in managing vessels, they obtained the quality certification ISO 9002, released by RINA in 1996.

In the 90s the company's interest in trading chemicals grew, so that they decided to buy a second hand vessel from Sweden, 8900 DWT SNARK, and to build in Italy a stainless steel chemical tanker, the 10000 DWT NORMANNA. The new vessel, conformable to the company's praxis, was characterized by new innovative technologies: it is the first vessel with inert gas and nitrogen production; the first vessel equipped not only with a double hull protecting the entire cargo, but also with a total double hull protecting the engine fuel tanks. It was the first Italian big sized vessel equipped with an alternative diesel-electric drive that allows the vessel to reach the nearest port through an alternative electric auxiliary arrangement in case of average of the main engine. Such principle brought new security shipment standards and anticipated regulations that became eventually compulsory.

Thanks to its experience in the chemical field the company formed an alliance with SET, a company that operates within Norway and Switzerland. Through this alliance Mediterranea di Navigazione started covering a wider area that goes from Northern Europe to the Mediterranean sea up to Turkey. In 1999 Mediterranea di Navigazione built a new vessel, in the De Poli shipyard: the 15200 DWT SVEVA.
This vessel holds together the experience achieved in chemical trading and the most advanced technical skills.
For the first time ever a painted tank vessel was able to ship oil and sophisticated chemical products as well as low-boiling gases; such as acetaldehyde and propylene oxide. The main innovative feature was applying a special paint to cargo tanks: the same as the one used for spaceships, therefore highly resistant.

The shipment of crude and refined oil products, remained the main activity of the company, which collaborates with the main Oil Majors such as: Agip, Enel, Bp, Esso, Api, Shell, TotalFinalElf, etc. Therefore in 2000, after a thorough worldwide market research, the company built in the Korean shipyard Hyundai Mipo, the 44.485 DWT SHOGUN. This vessel was made for the shipment of oil and chemical products and differs from the international standards for its sophisticated solutions. The vessel was delivered in June 2002 and it is the first Italian chemical and oil tanker which has been given the RINA's Green Star for clean sea and clean air, thanks to the forefront of technical solutions for the protection of the environment and for the reduction of the atmospheric air pollution. M/t Shogun will be directed to consolidate the presence of the group in the Mediterranean area.

In 2001 Mediterranea di Navigazione built for Api Petroli a 5500 DWT chemical and oil tanker, with special features for the protection of the environment. This tanker has the most reliable and modern technical and structural equipment and achieves the maximum security standards. Top priority has been given to life quality on board and to the reduction of the risks of sea, air and noise pollution. Thanks to these characteristics the vessel has become a benchmark on the market. ("environmentally friendly project").

This vessel, called COSMO  (5.884 DWT / 6.539 DWT), was delivered by the Turkish shipyard Celik Tekne at the beginning of 2003. It is used for oil products trading in the Adriatic sea, an area which is highly exposed to environmental risks due to its ports configuration and to the water current.
To realize this ambitious project Mediterranea di Navigazione chose Turkey, a country which has shown an interest in construction of the vessel with the shipowners project. This project has been developed together with the engineering company from Trieste: MES.

As the project had a great success in 2003 Mediterranea di Navigazione decided to proceed cooperation with same Turkish yard and to order the chemical tanker of 25.000 Dwt, the biggest tanker ever built in Turkey. One more time the shipowner group aims to give to the market the sign of the excellence, warranty, security, reliability and duration. In order to achieve it the MES develops the project for 30 years life long for navigation in north Europe area. This concept has anticipated the requirements of class registers and international rules in 2006. These rules impose to all shipyard the construction of the vessels of 25 years life notation. This unity of 27.300 DWT is named Ottomana and has been delivered at the beginning of 2006 for Eni Group on multi-year charter.

In 2004 and 2005 the investements and fleet renewal programme continues. The company orders in Turkey two vessels of 18.500 Dwt with the best technical solutions as double engine, twin propeller and twin rudder. The first vessel named SARACENA has been delivered by Celik Tekne Shipyard in 2007, the second one named BARABARICA will be delivered by RMK Shipyard in 2008.

A huge demand for new constructions put the international market great under strain and led the Turkish well - qualified market to price rises. For this reason the shipowner group aimed the Far East in order to carry on its investment policy in a competitive way.
This time Indonesia, the emergent and potentially qualified country, has been chosen for construction of two 6500 Dwt vessels in stainless steel for a very attractive price. These units, a results of our experience, will be built by PT Pal government-owned shipyard. The delivery of both vessels was foreseen for 2010, but it has not been met. The economic crisis has lead the shipyard to financial difficulties and management problems, therefore the company has confirm just one of the units, accepting to postpone delivery until 2011. Until now Indonesia has never constructed a chemical tankers and this is the first time that PT PAL shipyard carries on such advanced project for primary european shipowner. The group from Ravenna has chosen again the innovation to succeed and to put on market the vessels on the cutting edge and for the prices compatible with the market.

In 2007 Mediterranea di Navigazione SpA decides to consolidate its position as a liquid gas transporter with an important order for two + two 4500 m3 ethylene carriers and turns a 18- years-old experience with LPG Red Dragon to good account. The company from Ravenna has landed in Vietnam after a lot of research in various parts of the world as Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam. The company's choice of this country entails the transfer of technology to the shipyard and the preparation of projects, specifications and quality standards in Italy.
The vietnamese shipyards have never run before for building the high-qualified vessels like chemical and/or gas carriers.
During the fulfilment of this order, the basis for production lines' development for the construction of high-technology vessels are going to be redefined. On the other hand Mediterranea has already proved to be a valid and capable partner; it has indeed already succeeded in construing the high quality vessels in the shipyards with no former background.

The Mediterranea's choice to carry out the project in Vietnam is not only due to competitive price reached but also due to willingness of Bach Dang to deliver first units already in 2010 and of its management to enter this new market with the vessels that are expression of the high quality.
The commitment for these 4500 m3 vessels anticipates a long-term commercial agreement between two companies that together are going to introduce this particularly innovative and attractive project to the market.
The vessels KING ARTHUR of 4500m3 capacity designed again by MES Italy are provided with 4000 kw engines and speed higher than 16 knots (max speed 17,4 knots) with 85% of the power reduced by 15% for sea margin. They will also be provided with a cutting edge cargo plant made by Gas & Heat and will comply with the most restrictive environmental criteria in order to obtain Green Star premium from Rina, a class register that one more time wants to follow ambitious projects of Mediterranea di Navigazione.
The vessels will be employed in the Mediterranean and North Europe even though their features and dimensions make them very attractive also for Far East traffic.

In 2009, with a degree in economics and a specialization in law, Elena, Paolo's daughter, joined the company, representing for Mediterranea the beginning of the fifth generation.

The economic crisis of 2008 and 2009, although causing remarkable delays in deliveries, has not prevented the Ravenna group from succeeding in the completion of LPG/LEG King Arthur. The vessel started her service in January 2011, winning the record of the fastest ethylene carrier ever built, with a maximum speed of 17.4 knots.

Exactly one year later, in January 2012, Excalibur, the twin vessel of King Arthur, was put in service thus proving successful outcome of the project.
Towards the end of 2012 Paolo's son, Federico, joined the team. With a degree in economics at Luiss university in Rome, he has had a year of professional training abroad in brokerage and shipping companies.

In November 2013, despite the crisis still being very strong, Mediterranea di Navigazione clinches the purchase in South Africa of a 8,400 Dwt bitumen ship from 2010. The unit corresponds to what was already planned in 2010, when the company had planned to build these units in Vietnam, without success, as the shipyard was not able to provide guarantees due to the financial crisis. The new unit, called the Black Shark, is equipped with excellent features that, also thanks to many improvements, bring it in line with the company's philosophy.

This unit can heat the loaded product up to 250 °, as few units in the world can, thus consolidating Mediterranean in highly specialized niche markets, enabling the company to achieve a leadership position in the transportation of liquid products, being able to carry cargoes from -103 ° (Ethylene) to 250 ° Pitch with a temperature range of 353 °!!

Following the success of the Black Shark in 2013 thanks to important changes to the hull, among which the complete new design of the bulb and the addition of some innovative elements such as the ducktail and the costa bulb, in 2016 we decided to follow the same path with our vessel the Barbarica.

Together with the MES design studio of Trieste, our partner for over 20 years, a project was carried out, regarding the Barbarica at the Vienna model tank for several tank tests, which helped identify the best interventions to be done on the hull.
Therefore we decided to completely redesign the hull for her as well, while maintaining her ice class, to install costa bulbs on the rudders and to modify the stern lines with the addition of a ducktail.
The benefit of these three structural interventions had been estimated for a 20% consumption improvement, a percentage which was exceeded during the tests at sea. In fact, thanks to the installation of a next generation coating in fluoropolymers, the reduction of consumption was found even at 22%. The huge intervention, in addition to guaranteeing a reduction in consumption and higher speed, brought a reduction in emissions, effectively making the Barbarica a next generation eco-ship. This success has increased the commercial appeal of the ship, thanks to which it was possible to conclude a long term contract with a key European charter.

Another ship on which we conducted some important changes is the Sveva. The requalification plan of the ship proceeded with the decision of completely sandblasting all the new cargo tanks and applying the new “MarinLine enhanced” coating, which together with the new nitrogen system of 1500 m3\h will guarantee bigger commercial flexibility, since the ship will be able to carry a countless variety of chemical and non chemical products.
The nitrogen system, in addition to assuring greater commercial versatility (numerous charters request exclusively the n2 generator for shipping chemical products), guarantees lower consumption than the IGS, with a saving of about 4t of gasoil per each discharging operation.
Other significant upgradings were the installation of the costa bulb on the rudder, about which we estimate an improvement of about 2/3% in consumption, and of the fluoropolymer painting on the propeller. Considerable upgradings on the tankers regard as well the Ottomana and the Cosmo, whose bottoms of cargo tanks were all sandblasted and repainted. Moreover, on the Cosmo a nitrogen system of 700 m3\h was installed, in addition to the already present inert gas system of 1500 m3/h, in order to further enhance the appreciable qualities of the ship.

In 2017 our company has decided to improve the commercial flexibility of two units: on Cosmo sandblasting and varnishing again all tanks with the new Marinline enhanced and on Saracena installing the nitrogen system (1.640 m3xhrs) which will allow to reduce consumptions in dump and to access the market of some chemical products.

In 2017 our company has decided to improve the commercial flexibility of two units: on Cosmo sandblasting and varnishing again all tanks with the new Marinline enhanced and on Saracena installing the nitrogen system (1.640 m3xhrs) which will allow to reduce consumptions in dump and to access the market of some chemical products.

We have expanded our market to broader horizons to seek potential charterers who need our specific expertise, finding commercial responses. Currently, we operate in Brazil, Central America, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Black Sea, and occasionally in the Far East.

We have also started the PARTNER IN SAFETY program with meetings on board, attended by Chairman Paolo Cagnoni and senior leaders. The first ship was the Shogun, aimed at raising awareness of the values that guide us and our resilience in stressful situations. This program will benefit from the exchange of opinions from participants and aims to improve our approach to safety, ensuring a shared focus and attention to safety.

When we say we are PARTNER IN SAFETY, we mean involving the shore team and the entire crew in this journey of mutual protection and a work culture that makes safety its cornerstone. Together, we must achieve a better ability to face difficult situations, improve resilience, and learn to react with the awareness that we can and must operate only in harmony with shared principles: working safely. Working safely is not for the Company, it is not just for us, but let us remember that it is for our families, for those we love, and for the people for whom we are responsible!

Our company is expanding its customer base into areas that were not traditionally part of our market to optimize the characteristics of our fleet. This year, we have invested in the flexibility and quality of the fleet.

We installed nitrogen systems on Saracena and Ottomana, made several technical improvements during maintenance work, and completely re-sandblasted and repainted the tanks of Ottomana with Marineline coating, which will enhance its utilization in chemical transport.

In 2018, the Water Ballast Treatment system was installed in 40% of the fleet.

Currently, we have units under Time Charter (TC) contracts with Shell, Exxon, Cepsa, Total, Api, and a Bunker One COA with ENI, Saras, and Litasco.

We decided to implement worldwide routes with the transport of small combined loads. The crisis caused by COVID-19 forced us to find commercial solutions that had never been tested before. Ottomana, Sveva and Barbarica are used for transporting parcel chemical products on worldwide routes, and the personnel have professionally gained the approval and appreciation of our clients. This choice has proven to be a success.

We have completed the installation of Ballast Water Systems across the entire fleet.

Additionally, we concluded a financing agreement with the Illimity Bank Group, replacing all previous banks and securing the company, which can now look forward to rejuvenating the fleet.

Our company sold Normanna, Cosmo, and Sveva, all ships over 20 years old, and began the search for high-quality, younger units to strengthen and rejuvenate the fleet.

For the first time in its history, the company became "debt-free."

The company sold the Shogun to modernize the fleet; the ship had been sailing with Mediterranea di Navigazione since 2002.

We have begun the renewal and relaunch process by investing in a new-generation stainless steel unit: it will be called DIAVOLO ROSSO.

This modern 20,000-ton unit, built in 2016, was commissioned in China by a highly qualified Italian shipowner with a very comprehensive specification and a design created by MES, Ing. Giorgio La Valle. This combination allowed us to trust in the quality of the ship and its performance, enabling us to see this investment as a long-term quality asset. After a challenging negotiation, we acquired it, and thus DIAVOLO ROSSO joined the fleet. The name honors Paolo Cagnoni Senior, a true patriarch of the company, who was a fighter pilot during World War II and part of the Red Devils Squadron. This squadron distinguished itself in the defense of Italian territory and in Africa with the MAKI 200 and 202.

In 2024, further improvements were made in telematics management, and the Access program was implemented, leading to optimized and updated management of the PMS and spare parts.