Italy’s contribution to the world’s mercantile marine in the last few years has been characterized by the production of a number of fast passenger liners with luxury accommodation. Two of the most important of these, the Rex and the Conte Di Savoia, were designed to capture transatlantic speed records. The Rex was built by the Ansaldo works at Sestri Ponente, in the Gulf of Genoa, and the Conte Di Savoia by the United Adriatic shipyards at Trieste, at the head of the Adriatic.
The drawing above shows the Rex, one of the most popular ships on the “sunshine route” between New York and Mediterranean ports. Her gross tonnage is 51,062, and deadweight tonnage 12,200. Her length overall is 880 feet, her beam 97 feet, and her depth 31 feet. Her draught is 32 ft. 5 in. Completed in 1932, the Rex held the Blue Riband of the Atlantic, with a speed of 28.92 knots, until 1935. As the drawing indicates, the Rex has two funnels, 51 feet in height, a raking bow and a counter stern. She is a quadruple screw ship with triple-expansion geared turbines on each screw, developing a total of 120,000 shaft horse-power. The fuel capacity is 9,700 tons.
Passenger and other decks below the main deck are lettered from A to H; above these is an arrangement of luxurious first-class and second-class decks, with special state rooms and verandas, and sports decks. Accommodation is provided for 443 first class, 362 second class, 402 tourist class, and 820 third class passengers.
In common with many other large modern passenger liners, the space devoted to cargo is relatively small.
