MOSCOW, October 8 (RIA Novosti) - Venice is considering a new proposal of constructing an artificial island in the Adriatic as a solution to its ongoing problem of massive cruise ships entering the Italian city's lagoon, the Telegraph reported Wednesday.
"It's the most logical solution," Renato Bodi, a spokesman for the Italian company behind the idea, Duferco Engineering, was quoted as saying by the Telegraph.
"It would remove the big cruise ships from Venice's lagoon while still allowing passengers to experience the magic of arriving by water," the spokesman added.
The plan details the construction of a 3000 foot-long jetty at the mouth of the northernmost of three inlets connecting the lagoon to the Adriatic, according to the newspaper. Large ships would drop off passengers at the man-made island who would then continue their journey to Venice via ferry.
The solution would allow ship passengers the thrill of entering the city by water while eliminating the daily influx of cruise ships, a source of pollution and erosion of the city's delicate foundations.
"It would take about two years to build and would avoid having to dig a new channel, which would be 100 meters [328 feet] wide and would have a big environmental impact on the lagoon. It seems to us to be the perfect compromise," Bodi told the Telegraph.
The man-made island would strike a balance between those opposed to ships in the lagoon and the cruise ship industry's large contribution to the city's economy every year. Construction is expected to cost 128 million euros (approximately $1.6 million).
Duferco Engineering claims many Venetian politicians and environmentalists endorse the proposal and hope to receive a decision from the Italian government regarding their idea within the next two months.
