The Italian government has announced that it will be temporarily diverting the traffic of large cruise ships from Venice to Marghera, a mainland industrial port across Venice.

The decision was made on March 25 to “protect a historical-cultural heritage not only of Italy but of the whole world,” a statement by the Minister of Ecological Transition Roberto Cingolani, Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini, Minister of Tourism Massimo Garavaglia and Minister of Sustainable Infrastructures and Mobility Enrico Giovannini read.

The statement highlights that this is only a temporary solution, while a better solution is in the works. A competition of ideas to bring the landings out of the lagoon and to solve the problem of large ship transit in Venice in a “structural and definitive way” was launched.

Previously, cruise ships could use the tourist terminal in Venice’s historic center near St Mark’s Square, sailing on the Giudecca canal.