Where Cruise Ships Are No Longer Welcome — Amsterdam Latest Port to Impose Ban

Have cruise ships worn out their welcome? Increasingly, port cities around the world are banning or regulating cruise ship dockings and operations in their coastal waters. Amsterdam has become only the most recent to do so. The BBC reports that … Continue reading

Noah’s Violin Serenades Venice as it Sails the Grand Canal

We recently posted A Look at Venetian Gondolas — Designs New and Old.  Here is a post about a very different watercraft that graced Venetian waters last weekend. Named Noah’s Violin, it is a 12-meter electric-powered giant floating violin, the … Continue reading

Over-Budget, Long Delayed and Scandal Ridden, Venice’s MOSE Works in First Real Test

Venice, Italy is sinking at about 1mm per year. The sea level in the Northern Adriatic is rising. At peak tidal conditions, referred to as acqua alta, almost half of Venice’s streets have been known to flood.  None of this … Continue reading

Cruise Ships vs Gondolas — the Continuing Battle of Venice Lagoon

Over the weekend, protesters, in a flotilla of small boats, including Venetian gondolas, attempted to block the passage of cruise ships, including one owned by Thomson, through the Venice lagoon.  The battle between local residents and environmentalists and the cruise industry … Continue reading

How Big is Too Big? Protests on MSC Divina’s Arrival in Venice Lagoon

MSC’s newest passenger ship, the MSC Davina, recently called at the Venice lagoon setting off a storm of protests. The protesters think that such a large ship creates too much pollution and could damage the fragile environment of the lagoon. The MSC Davina is 139,400 GT, … Continue reading