Bassani S.p.A.

If one were to make use of the museum archives to research all maritime activities linked with the "Serenissima" (the former Republic of Venice), one would often come across the company of "Fratelli Pardo" , which had been active as venetian shipping agents from as early as 1860. They later became the "Societ? Pardo & G. Bassani" and subsequently the present-day Bassani S.p.A., still very much involved in contemporary maritime traffic.

Two more companies were later founded: "G. Bassani" specialised in forwarding (particularly coal) and "G. Bassani & Co." specialised in the discharge and forwarding of cereals and other grain products.
Between 1925 and 1930, when organized incoming tourism was just beginning in Venice, "Pardo & Bassani" expanded also in this field arranging every kind of service in this new activity too. The first passenger cruise vessel to Venice with something like 500 passengers on board..
In 1939 the above Companies Merged together to form "Bassani S.p.A."

By the end of the Second World War, the tourist office had broadly expanded. Arrangements were made to encourage the flow of visitors to Venice as well as excursions ashore by cruise passengers. At about the same time, the "British India SNCO" began to offer student cruises, choosing Venice as the turnaround point where students would arrive and leave by train and in later years by airplane. Bassani has been the first to organize this kind of operation in Venice.

Meanwhile, the forwarding section continued to be very busy, handling commercial traffic, bulk cargo such as pig-iron, different types of scrap and industrial coal.

Bassani is nowadays recognized as a leading company in the following activities:

- Shipping Agents

- Cruise Ground Handlers

- Shore Excursion Operators

- Destination Management Company

- Incoming Tour Operators

- Travel Agents

- Insurance and Forwarding Agents