Venice calls for action on cruise ships

Venice is seeking action on large cruise ships. Image: Shutterstock

Venice has appealed to top European cruise ship destinations, from Amsterdam to Barcelona, Dubrovnik and Marseille, to unite in tackling the dangers and environmental impact of hulking liners, port authorities said Thursday.



The rallying cry for new rules to force companies to adapt their ships to the historical port cities that host them follows a collision between a cruiser and tourist boat in Venice that forced tourists to run for their lives.



The Unesco World Heritage Site is also slowly sinking, with cruise ships blamed for eroding the floating city's foundations.



"I have written to all European cities that share our experience with cruise tourism, and that find themselves having to balance economic development with environmental sustainability," Pino Musolino, chairman of the northern Adriatic Sea port authority, said.



"The growing size of vessels, their environmental impacts on the areas surrounding the ports and the 'burden' that the increasing number of tourists... are creating a situation of conflict," he said in a letter to eight fellow port authorities.



He called on them to "join forces" to oblige companies to "launch ships compatible with our structures and the environment".



In June, the giant 13-deck MSC Opera rammed into a dockside in Venice and knocked into a small tourist boat, injuring four people and sending others on the pier running for safety.



A month later, the 12-deck Costa Deliziosa, nearly 300 metres long, very narrowly missed a yacht while being towed out of Venice in stormy conditions. (AFP)