Atlantica Tengerhajózási/Trust Rt, 1917-1930

uring the ceasefire 5 Atlantica Co. vessels stationed in the Adriatic Sea. Victors changed the merchant shipping flag of the collapsed empire - the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy - to white-blue-white flag of the allied forces on all ships. Companies with Croatian feelings raised the Croatian, companies commited to Italy - so as the Atlantica Co. - raised the Italian flag on the masts of their vessels. Multinational citizens of Fiume who in the given situation hoped that their town would receive a free town status, which would have been favourable not only for the Budapest based companies but also for local companies, became soon dissapointed. Between rivals, the newly formed Slovenian-Croatian-Serbian Kingdom and the Italian Kingdom, bloody struggle broke out for the possesion of the city. Hungarians at Fiume saw heavy heartedly the deteriorating public situation. They had to realize that their work and money invested throughout many decades had lost for them and the country. Susak at the eastern side of the Fiumara river with the Baross dock became part of the new south slavian state, whereas the western side of the river belonged to the Italian Kingdom. This situation was recognized by the so called Trianon Truce dictated by the Great Powers which not only deprived Hungary of her sea coast but took away all of her sea-going ships, too

The Atlantica Co. signed a special contract with the Italian Government in 1924 and established a branch company under the name Fiumana S. A. N. Their remaining six ships were only renamed then. Price of these ships were to be paid back in ten years which meant that their ships had to be purchased back from the Italian Government. These vessels, the BUDAPEST, the DANUBIO, the ALBERTO FASSINI, the FIUMANA, the UNGHERIA and the ATLANTICA were sold in 1930, then the whole Atlantica Trust was wound up. In 1928, with the help of cpt. Lajos Rákos and cpt. Alfréd Radán on the initiative of the Barta brothers involving the Topi Family of Trieste and Richard Bazzini a Fiume trader a new company - the Hungarian Lloyd - was formed in order to bring the Fiumana vessels back under Hungarian flag. This venture could not be realized at that time because they could not acquire taxfree status.

József Horváth: What happens to you Hungarian sea navigation? Aqua Magazin, vol. 17-18. 2001.