Concordia aftermath: UNESCO asks Italy to save Venice from cruise ships

This has absolutely NOTHING to do with the aftermath of the Costa Concordia incident. This news orignated at the end of LAST YEAR.

HERE

Another case of fear mongering. :rolleyes:

Got nothing better to do.??? :eek:

Pathetic.

This has absolutely NOTHING to do with the aftermath of the Costa Concordia incident. This news orignated at the end of LAST YEAR.

 

HERE

 

Another case of fear mongering. :rolleyes:

 

Got nothing better to do.??? :eek:

 

Pathetic.

Quote: The United Nations' cultural arm has called on Italy to restrict access by huge cruise ships to Venice and other culturally significant places.

UNESCO said in a statement Monday (January 23, 2012) that a letter has been sent to Italy's environment minister urging quick action "to develop alternative plans for maritime traffic" in Venice. End Quote

Quote: The United Nations' cultural arm has called on Italy to restrict access by huge cruise ships to Venice and other culturally significant places.

UNESCO said in a statement Monday (January 23, 2012) that a letter has been sent to Italy's environment minister urging quick action "to develop alternative plans for maritime traffic" in Venice. End Quote

Again, this is ALL from developments that came to light LAST YEAR. Just because the letter was dated after any specific incident does not tie it to that incident.

In your thread title you stated Concordia aftermath: UNESCO asks Italy to save Venice from cruise ships in which you attempt to tie the article to the Costa Concordia incident.

From the news article I linked dated Dec. 11, 2011:

"Giorgio Orsoni, the mayor of Venice, is to meet the head of the city's port authority, Paolo Costa, on Wednesday to discuss the problem." The problem of these juggernauts of the sea needs to be confronted," he told Corriere della Sera newspaper.

He said cruise ships could be transferred to Porto Marghera, on the mainland, in order to minimise their environmental and aesthetic impact on Venice.

The proposal has the backing of Corrado Clini, Italy's new environment minister, who is a member of the recently-installed technocrat government led by Prime Minister Mario Monti.

Environmentalists and heritage groups have long pointed out that as cruise ships plough through the shallow Venetian lagoon, their powerful wake and undertow damages the fragile canal banks, wooden piles and mud banks on which the city rests."

This is old news, and if it had anything to do with the Costa Concordia incident, I'm sure it would have said so.

This has absolutely NOTHING to do with the aftermath of the Costa Concordia incident. This news orignated at the end of LAST YEAR.

 

HERE

 

Another case of fear mongering. :rolleyes:

 

Got nothing better to do.??? :eek:

 

Pathetic.

Again, this is ALL from developments that came to light LAST YEAR. Just because the letter was dated after any specific incident does not tie it to that incident.

 

In your thread title you stated Concordia aftermath: UNESCO asks Italy to save Venice from cruise ships in which you attempt to tie the article to the Costa Concordia incident.

 

From the news article I linked dated Dec. 11, 2011:

 

"Giorgio Orsoni, the mayor of Venice, is to meet the head of the city's port authority, Paolo Costa, on Wednesday to discuss the problem." The problem of these juggernauts of the sea needs to be confronted," he told Corriere della Sera newspaper.

He said cruise ships could be transferred to Porto Marghera, on the mainland, in order to minimise their environmental and aesthetic impact on Venice.

 

The proposal has the backing of Corrado Clini, Italy's new environment minister, who is a member of the recently-installed technocrat government led by Prime Minister Mario Monti.

 

Environmentalists and heritage groups have long pointed out that as cruise ships plough through the shallow Venetian lagoon, their powerful wake and undertow damages the fragile canal banks, wooden piles and mud banks on which the city rests."

This is old news, and if it had anything to do with the Costa Concordia incident, I'm sure it would have said so.

Here it is, straight from the horse's mouth :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=41017&Cr=maritime

UNESCO urges maritime restrictions for World Heritage Sites in Italy

Venice and its Lagoon. Photo: UNESCO

23 January 2012 –

The United Nations agency tasked with safeguarding the world’s cultural heritage called on Italy today to restrict maritime access to its most culturally and ecologically sensitive areas, including the lagoon city of Venice.

In the wake of the recent Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) urged the Italian Government to quickly develop alternative plans for seafaring traffic around the World Heritage site of Venice.

The Northern Italian city is a renowned tourist destination and is visited by almost 300 large cruise ships each year.

On 13 January, the hull of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia was torn open after it ran aground off the coast of Tuscany’s Giglio Island. According to media reports, 15 people died and at least 18 are still missing. The ship was also carrying a reported 2,400 tonnes of fuel, prompting widespread concerns about a potential environmental disaster.

“The tragic accident reinforces longstanding concern over the risk that large cruise liners pose to sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, particularly the Venice Lagoon and the Basin of San Marco,” wrote Francesco Bandarin, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Culture, in a letter to the Italian Ministry of the Environment.

Mr. Bandarin, who was writing on behalf of UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, also expressed the agency’s condolences for “the tragic loss of life” caused by the accident and praised the efforts of rescue teams and the local population in dealing with the disaster’s aftermath.

The regular cruise liner traffic in Venice has contributed to damaging the fragile structure of the city, according to the agency. The massive ships cause water tides that erode the foundations of buildings and contribute to polluting the natural environment of the surrounding lagoon.

http://www.nowitaly.com/giornale/news_eng/139036/unesco-asks-italy-save-venice-from-cruise-ships.htm

Yep, old news. I remember reading about this a few months ago. One of the things that I recall was the fact that the wakes of the cruise ships were undermining the stability of the structures. It had nothing to do with a cruise ship capsizing in their waters.

Here it is, straight from the horse's mouth :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

 

“The tragic accident reinforces longstanding concern over the risk that large cruise liners pose to sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, particularly the Venice Lagoon and the Basin of San Marco

While this article is new, the concerns ARE NOT. The Concordia was just inserted now to bolster the agenda. It did not cause the agenda.

Yep.... Old news!

We were in Venice twice in the fall on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Two tugs guided it to and from Venice. The captain explained that was by regulation -- because if the ship lost power, it would plough deep into the city.