The Italian government recently acted to ban large cruise ships from the lagoon basin near St. Mark’s Square and the Giudecca Canal – the main marine artery into Venice – effective August 1, 2021.
The topic of large ships in Venice has long been a sore subject among some Italians, and the government’s move to prohibit ships above 25,000 gross registered tons was necessitated by the adverse effects of waves and pollution from ships causing damage to not only the water itself but the fragile foundations along some of the city’s oldest buildings.
The move comes just ahead of UNESCO’s annual meeting, where Venice was at risk of being deemed a “World Heritage Site in Danger.”
The new directive is meant to be temporary and will be in place until new docks are built along the edge of the Venice lagoon to accommodate these larger vessels.