The Italian authorities have approved a decree temporarily banning the mooring of large tourist ships in the Venetian lagoon.
According to local media, now, in order to moor a cruise ship, it is necessary to use the cargo port of Venice, which is located near the island part of the city. The decision of the authorities is motivated, first of all, by the fact that large ships pollute the water and weaken the foundations of ancient historical buildings. Such actions are necessary in order to preserve the cultural heritage of Venice for future generations.
As the local authorities explained, large tourist ships and container ships will no longer be able to enter the city's Giudecca canal, which leads to the historic Piazza San Marco. Ships will be able to moor at the nearby industrial port of Marghera, which is located 16 km from the city. For transfer to Venice, tourists will use boats and shuttles. At the same time, officials stressed that there would be no major changes in the excursion program for travelers. Only those tourists who prefer to enjoy the views of Venice from the cruise ship will suffer from this ban.
It is noted that at the moment tourist ships cannot moor in the historic center of Venice due to quarantine restrictions.
Local authorities have long been trying to solve the problem of the passage of large ships through the city. In 2013, the government introduced a restrictive regulation for large-tonnage vessels in the Giudecca canal, but a few years later this decree was repealed. Venice has long struggled with rising tidal waters that flood the city center. According to experts, large tourist liners only exacerbate the problem with flooding, thereby provoking the destruction of historical buildings.
Photo: depositphotos.com.
