Starting November 2014, the cruise industry in Venice could look very different as government officials in Rome today ordered to stop ships above 96,000 tons from transiting the Venice Lagoon.
In addition, the government has placed a limit on smaller ships, calling for a reduction in traffic by ships over 40,000 tons, in a effort to get ships away from St. Mark’s Square.
According to the ruling, cruise traffic will “eventually” be re-routed through the Contorta Sant’Angelo Canal.
“The order came following a long-awaited meeting Wednesday with Premier Enrico Letta and his ministers, joined by Venice municipal officials and regional authorities over how to implement a law in Venice over banning large ships from passing near Italian shores. The law was enacted nationwide following the crash of the Costa Concordia cruise ship in early 2012, which killed 32 people off the coast of Tuscany, but was suspended in Venice where the cruise industry is key to the local economy,” according to local reports.