On 25th March Italian Government Ministers finally agreed to temporarily ban large cruise ships from passing through the centre of Venice.
When cruise ships return, they will have to berth at the nearby industrial port of Porto Marghera.
Located on the mainland, Porto Marghera is around 10 miles from the centre of Venice and its historic locations.
For the past few years, there has been local pressure exerted to ban cruise ships from sailing through the centre of Venice, citing damage to buildings and increased flooding caused by their wash.
Also blamed were cruise ship emissions, which were alleged to have contaminated the air and contributed to the decay of some of the oldest structures, in addition to calling the ships an eyesore of the landscape.
During a meeting last month, four Ministers agreed to hold a competition for ideas to move the cruise ship berths away from their current location in the lagoon.
