BARBIE LATZA NADEAU
VENICE—You’d be forgiven for thinking that cruise ships had been banned from entering the canals of Venice months ago after Italian prime minister Mario Draghi made the announcement in March that they would have to dock far outside the city. But then in early June, the massive MSC Orchestra cast its shadow over St. Mark’s Square as if nothing changed, which it hadn’t because Draghi’s decree was conditional, and the ships would only have to stop when a fancy new tourist port was built.
But then the United Nation’s culture group launched its own threat, warning that it would put Venice—a World Heritage Site—on its embarrassing endangered list, which could greatly curb tourism the city desperately needs after the pandemic, and shame the Italian government into acting to save the city at what one can only assume would be massive costs. “A long-term solution is urgently needed,” UNESCO charged in its daunting announcement. “A solution that will prevent total access to the lagoon, redirecting them to more suitable ports in the area.”
The Italian government, clearly concerned about UNESCO’s downgrade, updated its decree and beginning August 1 will outlaw ships over 25,000 tons from entering the city via the Giudecca Canal, which skims along St. Marks square so closely that the standing water on the cobblestones shimmers. The ships will have to scupper Venice from their itineraries after August 1 and then eventually have to dock in the nearby industrial port of Marghera, which has neither a tourist entry point nor a nice view, and which means they will have to take a train into Venice proper if they want to see the city. It will take around six months to prepare Marghera in the most barebones way, and then cruise companies will have to adjust their excursions to include a commute into the city…
