Venezia Terminal Passeggeri and other representatives of the port’s cruise community and cruise line customers won an appeal to suspend restrictions on cruise ships passing through the city en-route to the Maritime Station.
Last November, the Italian government ordered a ban on cruise ships of more than 96,000gt from sailing through Venice city centre from January 2015. It also decreed, starting as early as this January, the number of ships of more than 40,000gt allowed to sail through Giudecca Canal and past St Mark’s Square will be cut by 20% from the previous year’s level.
A regional administrative court accepted a request by VTP and partners to suspend the restrictions with immediate effect, pending a review in June. They claim the decision should only have been taken once an alternative passage has been found and put in place. The court said yesterday alternative routes for the ships have yet to be determined.
The suspension will last until June 12 when the next hearing is scheduled on the issue. A spokesman for VTP told Seatrade Insider the government has 90 days to decide if the law can be withdrawn or continue.
VTP’s md Roberto Perrochio is heartened by the decision as he says it clarifies that the law concerning traffic limitations was made according to ‘improper procedure’. He is confident that the June decision will also go in VTP’s favour.
