Venice could reduce the amount of cruise ships that visit its waters after debates around the industry continue.
Italy’s environment minister Andrea Orlando is assessing the future of the cruise industry in the city after a spate of incidents putting health and safety at risk.
Two weeks ago a German tourist died while on a gondola with his family after being crushed against a dock by a reversing water bus. Carnival Sunshine is also said to have sailed too close to the shore last month.
The review into larger vessels comes after new initiatives were put in place to reduce rush-hour traffic on the waters. This included a ‘congestion zone’ in the Grand Canal where ferries and smaller ships operate.
According to the Daily Mail, Orlando told Italian newspaper Il Gazetto that congestion is worsening across the lagoon. Cruise ships do not use the Grand Canal due to their size but instead use the St Marks basin, which has already seen a 7% increase in visits this year.
He is reported saying: “There will always be a margin of risk and even that margin is too high a risk. ‘The problem is not just the presence of large ships in St Marks basin but in general the presence of ships in the lagoon.”
The Major of Venice has called for ships to dock at Porto Marghera instead, while suggestions for an off-shore port have also been put forward.
Orlando’s comments are part of an on-going debate into the future of cruising in Venice, particularly after the incidents named above. Lobbyists have continuously raised concerns over the environmental impact of the cruise ships, which are often an eyesore and could be damaging the lagoon.
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