
The Cantiere Navale del Muggiano has a rich history of development and evolution. It was founded in 1913 in La Spezia, Italy.
Over the years, the shipyard has undergone significant transformations, with its first shipyard being built in Muggiano. This marked the beginning of the company's growth and expansion.
The shipyard's early years were characterized by a focus on ship repair and maintenance. This foundation laid the groundwork for the company's future successes.
As the years passed, the Cantiere Navale del Muggiano continued to adapt and evolve, expanding its capabilities to include shipbuilding and other related services.
History
The Cantiere navale del Muggiano has a rich history that dates back to the vision of Cavour, who wanted to create a shipyard that could meet the needs of the Regia Marina and also attract foreign clients.
Cavour entrusted Domenico Chiodo with the study for the realization of the Spezia arsenal, which laid the groundwork for the creation of the shipyard.
The shipyard was born to respond to the needs of the Regia Marina, but also to take on foreign commissions, just like the French had done in the Gulf of Toulon.
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Development

The Cantiere navale del Muggiano, a shipyard with a rich history. It was founded in 1907 in La Spezia, Italy.
The shipyard's early years were marked by rapid growth and expansion. By the 1920s, it had become one of the largest shipyards in Italy.
During World War II, the shipyard was involved in the production of naval vessels and other war-related equipment. This period of significant production and growth laid the foundation for the shipyard's future success.
The post-war period saw a significant shift in the shipyard's focus towards commercial shipbuilding.
Evoluzione Dopo Guerra
The Cantiere Navale del Muggiano underwent significant evolution after the war. In 1945, the shipyard was semi-destroyed, but it was eventually rebuilt and modernized with the introduction of electric welding and prefabricated shipbuilding techniques.
By 1949, the shipyard had already begun to produce new ships, including the motonave Borsi, which was completed in 1946, and the motonave Mauranger, Garnes, and Mica, which were completed in 1947, 1948, and 1949, respectively.

The shipyard's focus shifted from new construction to repair, transformation, and recovery of sunken ships, including the recovery of the motonave Ravello. This period saw the shipyard's transformation into a modern facility.
In 1951, the motonave Europa was launched, commissioned by the Lloyd Triestino company. The shipyard continued to produce new ships, including the Capitani del lavoro series, which were named after industrialists.
The Ansaldo company acquired the shipyard in 1949, and it remained under their ownership until 1971. During this period, the shipyard produced notable ships, including the petroliera Satuket, launched in 1971, and the Lloydiana, which was the first Italian portacontainer equipped with an electronic control system.
Ritorno Al Militare
In 1975, the shipyard resumed construction for the Italian Navy and several foreign navies.
The shipyard built corvettes for Libya and Ecuador, including the Wadi M'Ragh and Esmeraldas, which were significant in terms of technological innovation.
The Vesuvio, a supply ship, was also built during this period.

The shipyard's innovative approach to building lightweight aluminum boats led to the development of the Sparviero class of hovercraft.
These boats represented a major milestone in the shipyard's history, showcasing its expertise in cutting-edge technology.
By the 1980s, the shipyard had become a key player in the industry, with its work influencing the development of traditional and high-tech vessels.
Cantiere Navale del Muggiano
The Cantiere Navale del Muggiano has a rich history dating back to 1883 when it was founded in Muggiano, Italy. It was initially a shipbuilding company, but over the years, it underwent several mergers and acquisitions.
The company was acquired by Fincantieri in 1984, marking a significant milestone in its history. Today, the Muggiano shipyard is operational and works in conjunction with the Riva Trigoso shipyard.
Here's a brief overview of the company's past and present:
The Cantiere Navale del Muggiano has played a significant role in the construction of various naval vessels, including submarines and aircraft carriers.
Navale del Muggiano

The Cantiere Navale del Muggiano has a rich history dating back to 1883 when it was founded in Muggiano, Italy. It was initially a shipbuilding company that was later combined with other companies to form larger entities.
The company was first combined with the Cantiere navale di Ancona in 1899 to form the Officine e Cantieri Liguri-Anconetani. This was followed by another merger in 1906 when it was amalgamated with the Cantiere navale di Palermo to form Cantieri Navali Riuniti (CNR).
In 1913, the shipyard was purchased by FIAT-San Giorgio to increase their production capacity. This was a strategic move that allowed the company to expand its operations and meet the growing demand for ships.
The Cantiere Navale del Muggiano has undergone several name changes over the years. In 1918, it was renamed Ansaldo-San Giorgio after Gio. Ansaldo & C. bought out FIAT. Later, in 1921, Ansaldo was forced to sell its half to Attilio Odero, who eventually merged the shipyard with his other facilities to form Odero-Terni.
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Here is a list of the company's name changes:
- 1883: Cantiere navale del Muggiano
- 1899: Officine e Cantieri Liguri-Anconetani
- 1906: Cantieri Navali Riuniti (CNR)
- 1913: FIAT-San Giorgio
- 1918: Ansaldo-San Giorgio
- 1921: Odero-Terni
- 1984: Fincantieri
Today, the Cantiere Navale del Muggiano is part of Fincantieri, a leading shipbuilding company in Italy. The company continues to play an important role in the country's shipbuilding industry, producing a range of vessels including submarines and warships.
The shipyard is located in La Spezia and is operated in conjunction with the Cantiere Navale di Riva Trigoso. The Cantiere Navale del Muggiano is responsible for completing and testing ships that are built at the Riva La Spezia shipyard.
Amianto: Tutti I Rischi
The Cantiere Navale del Muggiano has a history of using amianto, a cancer-causing substance.
High levels of amianto exposure were experienced by workers in the cantiere, particularly in the Fincantieri Muggiano La Spezia facility.
Exposure to amianto was confirmed by the INAIL, which quantified the fibers present in the air.
The INAIL reported average values of 10 fibers per cubic centimeter (cc) for operations like coibentazione tubi e caldaie and allestimento cabine.

In some cases, values of 100 fibers per cc were recorded for applications of amianto a spruzzo, where the air remained polluted with a concentration of 2 fibers per cc for a long time.
The maximum values recorded were often above 100 fibers per cc, reaching up to 1000 fibers per cc in some instances.
As a result, workers in the cantiere experienced high levels of amianto exposure, which has led to an epidemic of amianto-related diseases, including mesoteliomi and asbestosi.
The INAIL's VII Rapporto ReNaM confirms that amianto continues to cause deaths, as documented in the book "Il libro bianco per le morti di amianto in Italia – ed. 2022" by Avvocato Ezio Bonanni.
La Spezia Amianto Fincantieri
La Spezia Amianto Fincantieri was a major concern for workers at the Cantiere di Muggiano and Riva Trigoso. The company, Fincantieri La Spezia, was responsible for the health and safety of its employees.
A worker, Sig. L.A., spent his entire life working at the Cantiere di Muggiano and Riva Trigoso under Fincantieri's supervision, and tragically fell ill with mesotelioma da amianto. This is a type of cancer caused by asbestos exposure.
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Fincantieri's negligence led to Sig. L.A.'s untimely death, leaving behind a family in need of support. The INAIL recognized the mesotelioma as being of professional origin, and liquidated a pension to the widow and minor orphans.
The widow, Sig.ra D.M., took legal action against Fincantieri La Spezia, seeking damages for her husband's wrongful death.
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Asbestos Risks
The use of asbestos as a material in the Cantiere navale Muggiano was common until April 28, 1993.
Levels of exposure to asbestos dust and fibers in the Fincantieri Muggiano La Spezia shipyard were quantified by the INAIL.
The risk of exposure to asbestos on board a ship is limited to specific events, but can be significant in terms of duration and intensity.
For example, during operations like coibentazione tubi e caldaie and allestimento cabine, workers were exposed to around 10 fibers per cubic centimeter.
In some cases, values of 100 fibers per cubic centimeter were recorded during the application of asbestos by spraying, and the air remained polluted for a long time.
The highest measured values were often above 100 fibers per cubic centimeter, reaching up to 1000 fibers per cubic centimeter in some instances.
The INAIL recognized the mesothelioma suffered by a worker who spent his life working in the Cantiere di Muggiano and Riva Trigoso as being of professional origin.
Fincantieri
Fincantieri plays a significant role in the Cantiere navale del Muggiano, having acquired the cantieri of Riva Trigoso and Muggiano through a merger in 1984.
The company has been operating the cantiere navale del Muggiano in La Spezia, where it completes and tests ships that were launched at the Riva Trigoso cantiere.
A notable example of their work is the construction of the "Scirè" submarine for the Marina Militare Italiana, a type U212A.
Fincantieri has also worked on the Italian aircraft carrier "Cavour", the flagship of the Italian Navy, with the two ship sections built in Riva Trigoso being joined together in the Muggiano cantiere.
The company has also built the "Orizzonte" class destroyers, as well as the "Caio Duilio" and "Andrea Doria" ships.
Sources
- https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantiere_navale_del_Muggiano
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantiere_navale_del_Muggiano
- https://onanotiziarioamianto.it/la-spezia-fincantieri-strage-amianto/
- https://tg24.sky.it/economia/2025/03/17/difesa-italia-navi-militari-marina-fincantieri
- https://www.difesa.it/primopiano/muggiano-varato-il-primo-pattugliatore-del-programma-navale-qatarino/53486.html
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