The old, controversial question of the passage of cruise liners and large ships in the San Marco Basin and the Giudecca Canal is behind the design idea setting out the construction of a new passenger harbour at Marghera Nord. This project is the initiative of the leading engineering companies in Veneto – the architectural firm of Roberto D’Agostino, Technital, NET Engineering and FM Ingegneria, and features a significant systemic view. The project aims not only to solve the problem of the large ships but also to allow the start of a process of development involving the whole Venetian city system.
First and foremost, it is a project that takes account of the particular features of the Venice area and does not foresee the need for new excavations in the lagoon. In addition, the construction of a new harbour at Marghera Nord would allow the redevelopment of the abandoned industrial area along the Canale Industriale Nord to be started with the resulting development of the inner harbour areas, also abandoned and in a state of decay, with economic effects for the whole city. As a result, there would undoubtedly be an increase in employment levels – jobs currently existing would be maintained and important new opportunities for the development of the current Maritime Station would be created. This could maintain a function of a top level harbour (ships up to 40,000 tonnes and large yachts) and partly converted into an urban development area, with methods and content to share with the city.
The system with two harbours is functional for the operations strengthening the infrastructure already started between Marghera, Mestre and Venice, and is the consistent and natural continuation of the Venetian urban redesign already started which valorises the connections between the water-based and land-based cities, with the possibility of triggering a detailed process of tracing and checking the flows.
Lastly, it should be remembered that the project has been drawn up with a view to project financing and so is substantially self-financing.