From August 1, large cruise ships will no longer be able to sail into the center of Venice, accused of endangering the historic center of Venice, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Italian government announced today.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi welcomed an important stage for the preservation of the Venetian lagoons, which for decades have been exposed to the constant arrival of ships with millions of visitors to the city.
For years, defenders of heritage and the environment have pointed to large ships that threaten the sensitive ecosystem of the lagoons and the foundations of Venice's historic center.
The debate was reignited last month with the return of cruise ships after months of disruption due to the pandemic.
Ships with more than 25.000 tons of gross weight, longer than 180 meters, and higher than 35 and whose sulfur emissions are above 0,1 percent, will no longer be able to enter the port of St. Mark, the St. Mark's channel and the Džudeka channel.
They will have to dock in the industrial port of Margera, where infrastructure will be provided, while smaller cruise ships (with around 200 passengers) will still be able to dock in the city center, according to the government announcement.
The Minister of Culture and Heritage, Dario Franceschini, said that Italy wanted to avoid the concrete risk of registering the city on the list of endangered heritage.
The government hastily made this decision today because UNESCO's advisory bodies proposed at the end of June that Venice be added to the list of endangered world heritage, and the World Heritage Committee should consider the issue at a meeting in China from July 16 to 31.
Bonus video:
