Ministers for infrastructure, culture, tourism and the environment jointly took the decision “to protect a cultural and historical heritage that belongs not only to Italy but to the entire world”, a statement said.
Instead, the giant vessels will be made to dock at the lagoon city’s industrial port at Marghera, as a temporary solution.
This will mean that passengers will no longer be able to enjoy Venice’s sites from cruise ships and will have to be ferried into the historic centre from Marghera about 10 kilometres away on the mainland.
The four ministers announced a “call for ideas” to create a permanent cruise ship terminal outside the lagoon “and give a structural and definitive solution to the problem of large ship transit in Venice”.
Before the coronavirus pandemic brought the cruise ship industry to a halt, the ships would regularly dock in Venice’s historic centre, bringing millions of extra visitors to the UNESCO World Heritage city.
But to critics, the giant vessels were an eyesore and potential safety hazard, passing dangerously close to Venice’s historic buildings, as well as a threat to the fragile ecosystem of its lagoon.
The liners have not sailed from Venice since cruises were first blocked last spring, even as they resumed briefly over the summer.
Both of Italy’s biggest lines, Costa and MSC Cruises, diverted their ships to larger ports near Trieste, Genova and Rome instead.
Cruise ships in Italy are currently halted as part of lockdown measures against the coronavirus pandemic, with Costa saying it will resume sailing in May when it hopes it will once more be possible for passengers to disembark for and explore Italy’s cities and towns.
