Anger at monster ships sailing into Venice
7th June 2012
Giant cruise ship MSC Divina sails into Venice lagoon sparking arguments over the damage caused by such huge ships
Giant cruise ships sailing into Venice lagoon dwarf the palaces and historic buildings of this World-Heritage listed city and are sparking growing calls for restrictions on where they can dock. The 140,000 tonne MSC Divina passed St Mark's Square and drew into port last Saturday to a flurry of anti 'big ship' banners.
Italian actress Sophia Loren has endorsed this latest cruise ship and environmentalists are urging her to reconsider and withdraw support. There are concerns about the level of pollution the ship produces (allegedly the same per hour as 15,000 cars) and the damaging effect of rippling water displacement on the fragile canal infrastructure of the lagoon.
Campaigner Silvio Testa says: “Much of Venice is already in a precarious state. With all this water surging in, the damage will be very serious.” As the largest vessel to have entered the lagoon, MSC Divina and other the gleaming white passenger ships of this ilk are also having a serious impact on the aesthetics of the magnificent city. A ship like Divina brings 4,500 visitors to the heart of the Venice.
Since the Concordia disaster in January the government has banned the close approach of vessels weighing more than 40,000 tonnes. However, liner companies in Venice are able to bypass restrictions because there are no alternative routes in and out of the main port.
The No Big Ships Venice Committee have written an open letter to Ms Loren saying: “We can't believe that you want your name, which is a legend in Italy and the world, to be associated with a ship that contributes to the destruction of Venice, part of humanity's heritage. We are asking you to give up your role as godmother of the ship. Venice belongs to the world. Help us save it."
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