Venice marked the official opening of its newest terminal today with 14,000 square meters of space on two floors. According to the Venice Terminal Passeggeri (VTP), Terminal 109/110 is also the widest cruise facility in the Mediterranean and offers more surface space per passenger than any other terminal in the region – with 2 square meters for each passenger waiting to embark during peak times.
A former warehouse on the Tagliamento Quay was refurbished for the new terminal, allowing two cruise ships to be served simultaneously berthed in front of the new Terminal 109/100 and Terminal 107/108.
The refurbishment was initially led by Architect Maurizio Paveggio and then by the Architect Vincenzo Di Donato, who is also responsible for the interior design and has selected the furniture. All the infrastructure systems, from air-conditioning and fire systems to elevators and escalators, were designed based for energy savings and eco-sustainability.
According to a prepared statement by the chairman of the VTP, Sandro Trevisanato, Terminal 109/110 represents the last step of the rebuilding and renovation of the Marittima area that has been transformed from an old commercial port to a modern cruise passenger facility, which stretches over a surface covering more than 260,000 square meters of which 93,000 square meters are covered. There are altogether eight passenger terminals, five parking lots and more than 3,200 meters of pier.
Trevisanato called it an industrial conversion, made possible by the VTP in collaboration and coordination with the Venice Port Authority, giving Venice and its citizens back an important and productive area, strategic for the local economy, bringing the Serenissima to the top level of the international cruise industry.
The 12 million euro project was carried out over 12 months and was carried out in accordance to conservation standards, while respecting the previous structure, overseen by the Venice Port Authority and of the Commission for the Safeguarding of Venice.
The VTP said that from a logistic point of view the new terminal represents a clear improvement of the viability of the Marittima Area, not only for the operators and passengers, but also for baggage handling, thanks to a conveyor belts system, routing luggage directly to the ships through a tunnel.