Venice to Ban Giant Cruise Ships from Historic Centre
After years of tension between Venetians and the tourism industry, Italy’s government will be banning giant cruise ships from Venice’s historic centre. It’s expected to take four years to implement the changes, with the new route to be in place by 2022. Whilst the ban is...
Venice to Ban Giant Cruise Ships from Historic Centre
The new route
Currently, large passenger liners pass within only a few hundred meters of Venice’s historic centre and the famous St Mark’s Square as they sail to the UNESCO-listed city’s passenger terminal. Under the new ruling, cruise ships weighing over 55,000 tonnes will be diverted towards the industrial port of Marghera.
From there, ships weighing between 55,000 to 96,000 tones will be able to sail to Venice’s passenger terminal, having avoided the city’s Grand Canal. Those weighing upwards of 96,000 tonnes will have to dock at Marghera on the mainland. Passengers will then be transported to Venice in smaller boats on in coaches along the narrow bridge connecting the mainland to the famed city.
Why the ban?
The ban follows the United Nations’ warning that Venice would be placed on UNESCO’s list of endangered World Heritage Sites if Italy failed to move the ships from the lagoon. In addition, residents and campaigners have long-protested the huge vessels. An informal referendum in June 2018 revealed that nearly 99% of the 18,000 Venetians who took part were in favour of banning giant cruise ships from the lagoon altogether.
The cruise ships pose a huge conservation risk to the city, impacting the local ecosystem and eroding the canal banks with the waves they create – which also face increasing threats from rising sea levels. Their impact on the scenery is also significant. Giant cruisers dwarf and obscure the city’s spires, monuments and palaces, as well as often blocking out the sunlight.
Up to 5,000 passengers and crew can disembark from one cruise ship, flooding a city that’s already inundated with tourists. Visitor numbers have continually risen, with over 30 million people estimated to visit every year and tourists frequently outnumbering locals. Such high visitation is thought to be ruining Venice both environmentally and culturally.
