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An Italian Coast Guard decree banning cruise ships over 96,000 gt from traversing Venice's Giudecca channel and passing St. Mark's Square to the city's cruise terminal has been annulled, reports Seatrade Insider.
Urged to toss out the ban by numerous parties, including the Venice Passenger Terminal (VTP), The Veneto Region Administrative Tribunal asserted that any restriction should be put in place after alternate cruise ship routes are in place. The tribunal also said that public and private interests, plus environmental factors related to any ban should be thoroughly vetted.
The decision won't have any immediate impact on large cruise ships plying Venice's waters, as Cruise Lines International Association members have voluntarily complied with the ban, awaiting completion of the delayed Contorta Sant'Angelo Channel project, which will allow ocean liners back into central Venice.
Sandro Trevisano, president of VTP, pointed out the consequences of a delay in ship accommodation. "We are expecting no cruise ships over 96,000 gt this year, resulting in a predicted [loss] of just under 300,000 passengers." He added, "We are hoping this decision will induce the government to pass measures to support the return of cruise ships to Venice, however the Contorta Sant' Angelo Channel project would require 18 months for completion, putting our 2016 cruise business also at risk."
The Coast Guard decree also limited ships over 40,000 gt to five per day.
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