Actually established in the last decades of the 19th Century, Rimorchiatori Napoletani (RN) initial activity was to assist sail-ships during loading and unloading operations and when the traffic of steam-ships increased stably in the port of Naples, also to to carry out towage, assistance and salvage operations.

The activities of the beginnings of RN goes hand in hand with the first faint hints of a rudimentary organization of port services. The port of Naples is, by its nature, shaped to constitute a great refuge in case of needs but it is also characterized by winds from southwest violent that can make particularly difficult manoeuvring in port.