"Reduce the impact of atmospheric emissions from cruise ships arriving and mooring in the ports of the Venice Lagoon"- with this objective, the Port System Authority of the Northern Adriatic Sea, the Port Authority of Venice, the Municipality of Venice, and the shipping companies operating in Venice City (Italy) signed the voluntary agreement ‘Venice Blue Flag 2022’ at Ca ‘Farsetti.
The agreement took on greater importance in the context modified by the limitations to cruise ship traffic in the San Marco Basin and Giudecca Canal, introduced by the Decree-Law of July 20, 2021, n.103, which led Venice to have to create a new cruise model with the challenge of reconciling the need of environmental sustainability/safeguarding the lagoon with those of labour protection and the development of this major economic sector.
The document was signed for the first time in 2007 and was ratified in 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and in 2021.
According to Massimiliano De Martin, councilor for Environment of the Municipality of Venice, the big news this year was that they managed, despite the difficult period, to sign the agreement once again and it had not been at all obvious.
"For this I want to thank on behalf of the whole city and the entire territory of the lagoon gutter all those who have worked to achieve this result, despite the pandemic, the war and the exorbitant increases in the cost of fuel .“
On the basis of the agreement, the shipping companies will "undertake to operate the main and auxiliary engines of passenger ships with fuel for marine use with a sulfur content not exceeding 0.1% by mass" and this not only at the mooring but also during navigation prior to entering the Vts Venice area and during maneuvering phases within the port area of Venice (Venice & Marghera).
The same commitment is assumed, starting 2018, also for tugs during operations related to the transit of vessels.