Il nuovo trionfo

Il nuovo trionfo is a wooden cargo ship moored in Venice, often at Punta della Dogana. Its broad, flat-bottomed hull belongs to the trabaccolo tradition, built for shallow waters around the lagoon and Adriatic. Built in Cattolica during the 1920s, the vessel carried timber, wheat, and other dry goods between Venice, Ravenna, and Ancona. Ferdinando Ubalducci constructed it, giving the ship the sturdy form needed for heavy loads and coastal travel.

Trabaccoli once supported Venice’s daily life, but war, road transport, and newer motorised ships pushed them from service. Their wooden hulls also suited mine-clearing work, while some carried troops or artillery during the world wars. After ownership passed through Grado and Vienna, the Compagnia del Nuovo Trionfo received the vessel in 2007. Volunteers now paint, clean, and repair the hull through the Compagnia del Nuovo Trionfo and Amici di Nuovo Trionfo.

Storms, high water, and a near-sinking in 2020 tested that preservation work before firefighters and the association rescued the ship. Today, lagoon excursions, open days, and cultural activities keep this rare survivor connected to Venetian maritime life. Its presence beside the water gives Venice a working piece of wooden seafaring history rather than a museum object.