The Bookshelf: Shipbuilding History, Italian Style

Now available is “History of Italian Shipbuilding in the Contemporary Era. From Unification to the Giolittian Age (1861–1913),” the first title in the editorial project promoted by the Fincantieri Foundation and dedicated to preserving and promoting the historical and industrial heritage of the sector.

Preserving and enhancing the history of Italian naval engineering as a cultural, industrial, and social asset of the country—making it accessible and shared—is the objective behind the new editorial series promoted by the Fincantieri Foundation, whose first volume is released today.
The book, “History of Italian Shipbuilding in the Contemporary Era. From Unification to the Giolittian Age (1861–1913),” written by Professor Roberto Giulianelli and published by Laterza, inaugurates a five-volume series retracing two centuries of evolution in Italian shipbuilding and the naval engineering industry, highlighting its role in the country’s economic development.

The central theme of the volume is an analysis of the profound transformations that affected Italian shipbuilding from the unification of Italy through the Giolittian era—a historical phase marked by productive modernization, technological innovation, and a redefinition of the nation’s maritime vocation. The book presents a picture of a rapidly evolving sector, facing new opportunities as well as structural challenges within a broader context of industrial growth.

Image courtesy Fincantieri

The series forms part of the broader initiative of the Fincantieri Foundation—chaired by Fausto Recchia—dedicated to the recovery, protection, and enhancement of the Group’s historical heritage. This heritage includes documentary archives related to both civilian and military shipbuilding, as well as testimonies of industrial archaeology. Through research activities, cultural initiatives, and training programs, the Foundation promotes knowledge of Italy’s naval engineering history as a tool for understanding the present and guiding the future.“This series fits squarely within the mission of the Fincantieri Foundation as a place of cultural development and responsibility toward the long arc of industrial history. 

Through work on archives—progressively made accessible, studied, and shared—a narrative takes shape that weaves together enterprise, society, and territories, restoring continuity to experiences that have spanned generations,” commented Lorenza Pigozzi, EVP Strategic Communications Director of the Fincantieri Group and member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. “In this sense, the history of Fincantieri is also the history of the country: from the unification of Italy to the present day, tracing its evolution means traversing the economic, social, and technological transformations that have shaped contemporary Italy. Memory, from this perspective, is not an exercise in preservation but a living practice of knowledge—an instrument that helps us understand the present, strengthen ties with communities, and support innovation processes. For this reason, valuing history means adding depth to our perspective and recognizing memory as an essential resource for guiding the future.”

The book is available at major bookstores and online platforms.

Now available in Italian bookstores and on online platforms is “History of Italian Shipbuilding in the Contemporary Era. From Unification to the Giolittian Age (1861–1913),” the first title in the editorial project promoted by the Fincantieri Foundation and dedicated to preserving and promoting the historical and industrial heritage of the sector.
Image courtesy Fincantieri

Roberto Giulianelli is Full Professor at the “Giorgio Fuà” Faculty of Economics at the Polytechnic University of Marche, where he teaches Economic History, Labor History, and the History of Industry and Consumption. For Laterza, he is also the author of “Naval Engineering: From Protection to Competition (1945–2002)” in “History of IRI. Vol. 5: A Singular Group” (edited by F. Russolillo, 2014).