Saudi dignitaries, ministers and several members of the diplomatic and Italian community attended the event inaugurated by Chairman of Ignazio Messina Paolo Messina, Chairman of Al-Takamul group (Messina lines’ general agent in Saudi Arabia since 2008) Prince Turki bin Mohammed Al-Abdullah, Italian Ambassador Valentino Simonetti and a large Messina delegation including the company’s managers Stefano Messina, Andrea Gais (CEO), Emanuele Messina (managing director) and their Saudi Arabia General Manager Comm. Sami Ezzat Labib and Line Manager Giuseppe Giovinazzo.

The event was also an occasion to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first Messina liner service to Jeddah Islamic Port and the arrival to the port of the Jolly Diamante, the first of four new born ro-ro vessels (Jolly Diamante 2011, Jolly Perla 2012, Jolly Cristallo and Jolly Quarzo 2013) deployed from Mediterranean ports (Genoa, Barcelona, Naples) directly to Saudi Arabia.

After Jeddah, Jolly Diamante will proceed towards Mombasa, Dar Es Salaam, Durban and Maputo and will reach the same ports again on its way back to Ignazio Messina’s Genoa Terminal.

During his welcoming speech at CICER, Simonetti exalted the fundamental role that the Italian Cultural Center has played since 1960 in hosting similar events and promoting Italian and European culture in the Kingdom.

He also highlighted the old, strong and growing trade and political relations between Italy and Saudi Arabia.

“The preliminary data related to 2011 indicate a remarkable increase of bilateral trade which should be very near to 10 billion Euros,” explained Simonetti.

“The Messina Group is one of the most notable Italian presences in the Kingdom and a clear example of a success story in the relations between the two countries. This is not surprising given the Saudis’ particular appreciation for the beauty and the quality of Italian products,” he added.

A recent sign of appreciation and trust given to the Messina Group and Italian companies is the assignment concerning the building (by Italian Finmeccanica companies AnsaldoBreda and Ansaldo STS) and transportation (by Ignazio Messina) from Naples to Jeddah of 22 metro convoys for the new Princess Noura University campus in Riyadh, eight of which already arrived.

CEO of Ignazio Messina Group Stefano Messina spoke on behalf of the entire Messina delegation, expressing his satisfaction for the growth of the company that is facing a new era of recovery and expansion of its fleet at a very delicate moment for the shipping industry.

“Despite the difficult worldwide markets’ scenario, we were able to sign a contract with a South Korean Shipbuilding Company (DAEWOO) for the building of the 4 biggest ro-ro container ships in the world, investing more than $300 million,” explained Messina.

“These highly technological advanced units, provided with an antipollution system, are 240 meters long and 37.5 wide. They can handle a 21.5 nods speed and have a maximum capacity of 3,000 containers and 6,500 linear meters of rolling and heavy project cargo,” he added.

Already known in 1921 for transporting foodstuffs between Sicily and the north of Italy, the company Giuseppe Messina Tabuso acquired its definite name Ignazio Messina & C. in 1929 after transferring to Genoa and starting line connections with Libya. Since then, the company extended its liner services from Italy to the rest of North Africa, the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, East Africa, South Africa, East Mediterranean, Middle East, West Africa and India and was the first to cross the reopened Suez Canal in 1975.

Today the company is the second world largest ro-ro container carrier and one of the Italian leader operators in the shipping industry owning a 15 vessel fleet and a Genoa based terminal shortly covering a surface of about 300,000 square meters which will be rail connected, and able to handle both ro-ro and full container vessels.