On Wednesday, 31st March, Italian ministers agreed that large cruise and container ships would no longer enter the city’s Giudecca canal, which leads to the historic St Mark’s Square. The government also plans on holding a ‘call for ideas’ for an alternative cruise terminal in the city.
Dario Franceschini, Culture Minister commended the move, which he described as “a correct decision, awaited for years.”
Cruise ships are currently unable to enter the city of Venice due to the ongoing pandemic restrictions, but their absence has been credited with improving water quality in the lagoons.
Pressure to pass a ban on large vessels mounted in 2019 after a cruise ship crashed into a harbour in the city, injuring five people. However, no permanent solution was found.
