Venice Bans Cruise Ships From City Center Yet Again

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Venice

The Italian government has yet again banned cruise ships from Venice’s City Center. In a news report, CNN stated that the banning of the cruise ships had escalated to a pre-ban and will remain in the city until further notice.

The Italian government had announced that cruise ships would no longer be allowed to sail through the city center, claiming that it would actually, in their eyes, be an important step of safeguarding the Venetian lagoon, which they stated on July 13.

Due to this announcement, all civilians are no longer allowed to sail past the St Mark’s Square or even up the narrow Giudecca Canal, which would lead them to dock in the city-center port.

Now everyone must be rerouted through the Venice lagoon and dock on the mainland, located at the industrial port of Marghera. Otherwise, they will face the consequences of the law.

The UNESCO had even drafted a recommendation to add the city to its list of World Heritage in Danger in June, with the presence of cruise ships in its reasoning.

Different Opinions

VeniceCulture Minister Mario Franceschini, a proposer of the new law, has regularly voiced his opposition to cruise ships and has also tweeted that he was indeed proud of having kept his promise.

Even President Mario Draghi, and Enrico Giovannini, the minister of sustainable infrastructure and transport for Italy, have even proposed the new law.

On the other hand, the government is defending the new law, stating that it will protect the “environmental, artistic, and cultural heritage of Venice.”.

They have even confirmed that five berths, which are determined to cost around $185 million, will be created and stationed at Marghera.

As of right now, the people who lose out financially from the law are being promised compensation from the government, but as for the 4,200 workers employed by the cruise industry, it is unknown if they will also receive the same treatment.

By Ramses Sanchez Cantu
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware

Source:

CNN: Venice bans cruise ships from the center — again; Julia Buckley

Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Lee Crowley’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of European Central Bank’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License

Share:

Send Us A Message