 The MV Loredan. The winged Lion of Saint Mark, a symbol of the Venetian Republic, is visible on the funnel.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Kingdom of Italy | |
| Namesake |  House of Loredan |
| Owner |
|
| Builder | Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico |
| Launched | 5 September 1936 |
| Stricken | 10 April 1943 |
| Homeport | Port of Venice |
| Fate | Torpedoed and sunk by British submarine HMS Safari |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Auxiliary cruiser |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | |
| Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) (sustained sea speed) |
| Complement | 28 in first class |
The MV Loredan was an Italian mixed motor ship and auxiliary cruiser of the Italian Royal Navy in World War II, named in honour of the many admirals of the noble Loredan family of Venice.
Built in 1936 in Monfalcone, it initially served as a civil transport ship on several lines in the Adriatic Sea. In 1941 it was registered as an auxiliary cruiser in the Italian Royal Navy. In twenty-one months of service, it carried out a total of 193 missions, consisting mainly of escort services in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
On 10 April 1943, it left the port of Cagliari as an escort to a small convoy headed for the archipelago of La Maddalena. Shortly after the departure, the convoy was spotted by the British submarine HMS Safari, which proceeded to launch torpedoes at the Italian ships, sinking the Loredan with nearly all her crew.
The wreck of the Loredan lies on its left side, with the stern severely damaged, at a depth of between 52 and 67 meters, on the seabed of the Gulf of Cagliari, at 39°08' N and 9°23' E. Today, she is a frequent diving destination.