Italy has banned the entrance of giant cruise ships into Venice

Rome - The Italian government today banned the entry of giant cruise ships into Venice. The DPA agency reported this, citing the Minister of Transport. Local residents have been protesting against the entry of massive vessels into the Venetian lagoon for years, claiming that the ships are destroying the monuments and the aesthetics of this historic city. Recently, a petition for the prohibition of these steel behemoths in the city center was signed by about sixty famous actors, writers, architects, and other personalities.
According to the new regulation, ships weighing more than 40,000 tons will not be allowed to sail close to St. Mark's Square and subsequently pass through the Giudecca Canal to the docking area. The reasons for the ban, according to Transport Minister Maurizio Lupi, were not only aesthetic objections but primarily the protection of monuments and the environment.
Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi received a petition for an expedited solution to the problem of large cruise ships in the center of Venice, signed by actors Michael Douglas and Jane Fonda, architect Norman Foster, and fashion designer Calvin Klein, among others.
However, many locals have long expressed opposition to the ban. The tourism sector is crucial for the Venetian economy. Approximately 1.8 million people arrive in the UNESCO-protected city each year on 650 large ships, and each ship pays 150,000 euros for docking at the local port. Passengers spend tens of millions of euros in the city.