July 7, 2016

Struggling to keep massive cruise ships away from Venice

Reality is not as bad as in this Photoshop trick, but things are not at all good. Some days there are as many as 12 massive cruise ships moored at the San Basilio docks, and 35.000 tourists invading Venice, adding to the crowds that already jam the city. And often, as you can see, they are not all that charming…

Venetian residents fiercely oppose the cruise industry and there have been very loud demonstrations, which filled the headlines of many international news. This is a demonstration organized by the Comitato nograndinavi (no big ships committee). Here is a link to their Facebook page➤

The Lagoon, Venice and its society are severely harmed by this seemingly unstoppable business, which yields profits for few while being supported by the entire community. The repercussions are many. The environment is affected, as well as the foundations of the canals. Toxic fumes are dispersed, in spite of the rule that ships should be pulled while keeping the engines shut. The pressure of the huge volumes of water moved by the ships is eroding the foundations.

The city landscape has changed in order to adapt to new hordes of half-day visitors. They will grab a slice of pizza and a gelato, a mask and some cheap glass, more likely to be made in China rather than Murano.

And yet cruise ships seem to have crossed the Giudecca canal for quite a long time. Those days however they were not large enough to create so much of a mess…