Ravenna (Porto Corsini, Italy)

Ravenna is a major port city in Northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, with population around 160,000. Through Po River Delta, the cruise port (Porto Corsini) is connected to the Adriatic Sea via Candiano Canal. The city's most popular tourist attractions are its old buildings (dating from the 5th-6th-7th centuries) and also the tombs of Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) and Kingdom of Italy's emperor Theodoric the Great (454-526).

In mid-June 2020, RCI-Royal Caribbean replaced Venice (as homeport) with Ravenna (roundtrips from Porto Corsini). The change affected the Mediterranean schedules of the ships Rhapsody of the Seas (2021 /May 1 thru October 23) and Brilliance of the Seas (2022/ May 15 thru October 23) based on 7-day roundtrip itineraries themed as "Greece and Croatia" and "Greek Isles".

Ravenna is located approx 144 km/90 mi (road distance) to the south from Venice, or ~2,5-3 hours drive (via SS309 / Ravenna-Chioggia road) depending on traffic and driving conditions.

• The itinerary change was explained with "increased concerns regarding the future of cruising in Venice Italy due to port congestion and the ability to control port traffic".
• Customers with already purchased through Royal Caribbean airfare received complimentary shuttle bus transportation (pre- and after-cruise). Optionally was offered purchasing bus transfers from both the Ravenna cruise terminal and/or the Venice Marco Polo Airport.
• In 2022, RCI customers had to arrange the Venice-Ravenna-Venice ground transportation either by online booking a discount-priced bus transfer (with RCI) or by making private/independent travel arrangements.
• Shuttle services (between Venice Marco Polo Airport (or Tronchetto in the Venetian Lagoon) and Port Ravenna (ship embarkation/debarkation) are provided.

In late-September 2021, RCG-Royal Caribbean Group won the tender to build and operate a new cruise terminal at Ravenna's Porto Corsini. The new terminal will be operated under a 33-year concession (from Ravenna Port Authority) by RCL Cruises Ltd (an RCG subsidiary) and is currently scheduled for completion in 2024-Q2. Read more in the port's "Terminal" section" below.

Port Ravenna

By capacity, the Port (locode ITRAN) is ranked among Italy's top 20 and Europe's top 40 cargo ports. This is Emilia-Romagna's main seaport. Its docks are located mainly on the 12-km / 8-mi long Candiano Canal (aka Canal Corsini).

The Port's offshore breakwaters are in the towns Porto Corsini and Marina di Ravenna (Adriatic Sea's largest yacht marina). The seaport as facilities has shipyards, multipurpose terminals, bulk cargo and container terminal, 2 passenger terminals (serving ferries and cruise ships), as well as Adriatic Sea's largest yacht marina (Marinara). The cruise terminal is at Porto Corsini.

Regularly scheduled ferry lines connect to Ravenna to Brindisi and Catania (Sicily), and also with Greece (Igoumenitsa and Patras).

• The Harbour is open 24-hours.
• Entrance channel's width is 300 m (984 ft), with max draft 11,5 m (38 ft).
• The port has capacity to handle vessels with LOA length 320 m (1050 ft), max width 39,5 m (130 ft) and max darft 8,8 m (29 ft). Air draft is unlimited. Anchorage is not available.
• There are two quays (total length 602 m (1975 ft) and 2 passenger terminals, of which 1 is combined for RoPax and RoRo vessels.
• As services, Port Ravenna provides pilotage (compulsory), tugboat assistance (10 tugs), salvage and ship repairs, water and provisions supply, marine fueling (heavy oil and MDO), waste disposal (garbage, special waste, bilge-sludge-grey-black waters).
• There is planned dredgings of the turning basin's northern part and also canal bed and approaching channel dredgings.

In late-November 2020, to a consortium was awarded the contract for the Ravenna Port Hub. The consortium includes DEME Group's Dredging company and Consorzio Stabile Grandi Lavori Scrl (Rome-based construction company).

• The project's Phase 1 includes excavation of sediments (~5 million m3) in all the port's channels, deepening to 12,5 m (40 ft), reconstruction of the existing berths (total length ~6,5 km / 4 mi) and constructing a new quay (length 1 km) for Peninsula Trattaroli.
• Ravenna Port Hub project (total value EUR 197,8 million / ~USD 235,3 M) was financed by CIPE (Inter-ministerial Committee for Economic Planning/Italy), EIB (European Investment Bank), EU (European Union) and Italy's Port System Authority.
• DEME's dredging works (contract value EUR 50-150 million) are planned to start in 2021-Q1.

When completed, Ravenna Port Hub will have capacity to handle increased shipping traffic, bigger-sized vessels (DWT 75,000 tons) and larger containerships (max cargo 8000 TEUs).

Ravenna cruise terminal