Author: ideo

The Cruise Port of Venice awarded during Seatrade Cruise Global

The award has been assigned by a specialized jury, made of Worldwide cruise port specialists, to the cruise ports standing out for the excellence in embarking and disembarking passengers

THE CRUISE PORT OF VENICE AWARDED DURING SEATRADE CRUISE GLOBAL, THE CRUISE INDUSTRY’S PREMIER GLOBAL EVENT, AS BEST HOMEPORT OF THE MEDITERRANEAN

The Cruise Port of Venice, has been awarded as best turnaround port of the Mediterranean in 2015. The prestigious prize has been assigned by the publication Cruise Insight, during SeaTrade Cruise Global, the international trade fair of the cruise industry currently taking place in Fort Lauderdale (Florida – USA).

The award has been assigned by a specialized jury of cruise port specialists (cruise companies, shipping agents, tour operators etc..) to the cruise ports standing out for the excellence in embarking and disembarking passengers.

VTP at Seatrade Cruise Global, Fort Lauderdale (FL), 14-17 march 2016

Venezia Terminal Passeggeri shall attend Seatrade Cruise Global, at Fort Lauderdale (Florida), 14-17 March 2016. VTP has been promoting and developing the passenger business of the Port of Venice since 1997. At Seatrade Cruise Global − a key world event for cruise shipping – cruise lines, suppliers, sector operators, travel agents and partners shall receive information on the latest developments for the upcoming cruises season at Venice’s port.

According to bookings received by February, the forecast for 2016 indicate traffic for the current season at 1,550,000 passengers, with 529 landings in all. There are 38 scheduled companies for 70 positioned units. The following ships, Aida Cruises’ AIDAbella, Crystal Yacht Cruise’s Crystal Esprit, Holland America Line’s Eurodam, Royal Caribbean International’s Rhapsody of the Seas, Oceania Cruises’ Sirena and Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Sea, shall visit the lagoon port for the first time.

“Bearing in mind the noted developments surrounding tonnage restrictions, the Port of Venice has basically maintained its position. It remains the first cruise homeport in the Mediterranean,” claimsSandro Trevisanato, Chairman of Venezia Terminal Passeggeri S.p.A. “The activities had to be reorganised, with enhancement of the infrastructures (increase in the number of terminal buildings) and of wharf efficiency. Since the number of ships increased and the number of passengers decreased, we implemented a revision of the procedures. While we await the end of the impassebrought about by arbitrary application of a criterion lack of justifications and merely regarding visual impacts, for 2016, too, the traffic should be as for 2015. However, at the very earliest opportunity the situation must find a solution on a governmental level since, by prohibiting access for most of the modern ships, the risk is that Venice shall host only the less recent, less technologically advanced vessels, hence the lagoon terminal (a focal point for traffic in the Adriatic) shall gradually become marginalised, with repercussions upon Italy’s cruises sector as a whole, and on the employment and economic activities associated with the sector.”

Investments in infrastructures are ongoing. We note further improvements to the flows and routes inside the port for operators and passengers, for whom mobility is ensured via preassembled roofed walkways. The standard for baggage handling procedures has also been raised. At each terminal, this is the result of a system of suitcase and bag conveyor belts that lead, via tunnels under the building, to the wharf itself. The number of parking spaces has increased (now, 2334 in all) and the efficiency of the parking space automation system has been enhanced − not to mention user-friendly online booking with advanced payment via the VTP web site. Over the last year, the focus has been on services for passengers, with an increase in the number of information points, new services (para-pharmacy, ice cream outlets, shuttle and taxi services to the old city centre), and extension work on the central catering area (with its Italian and local wine and food specialities). The landing stages for boats to the old city centre (launches and taxis) have been rearranged, and protection has also been added in the vicinity of the mooring bollards, thus ensuring perfectly safe mooring.

INVESTEE PORTS

Ravenna

Ravenna is a unique city, with eight UNESCO World Heritage sites. It is also the Emilia-Romagna region’s only port, at the very heart of the central and northern stretch of the Adriatic (Adriatico Centro-Settentrionale). The target of 40,000 cruise passengers was reached in 2015, as foreseen. This year, the symptoms of slow but significant re-growth are already emerging. The connections for supply of drinking water to the cruise ships wharf (Molo Crociere) have been completed, and supplies shall soon be operative. Optical fibre for broadband connections has now been installed at the cruise ships terminal, thanks to a protocol undersigned by the Ravenna port authority and the Provincial authority of Ravenna (as point of reference for the European EaSea-Way project).

Cagliari

Consistent developments are in the pipeline in Cagliari for 2016. The new terminal under construction at the Molo Rinascita wharf shall open in June. This key infrastructure attests to the cruise sector’s growth trend – due to which this Sardinian port welcomed 28 visits and nearly 47,000 passengers in 2004 and 97 visits with nearly 267,000 passengers a decade later, in 2015. 2015 was a record year for numbers of passengers transiting, exceeding even the data for 2011 (nearly 238,000 passengers). The result was, in any case, determined by the arrival of a greater number of ships (167). With the new cruises terminal, the layout of port operations (security and management of passengers during boarding and disembarkation, baggage handling, management of tourism services etc.) shall be greatly improved, and Cagliari shall also become a more competitive player within international marketplaces.

Catania

The construction work was completed in 2015 on the new yard in the port’s western zone (zona Ovest), serving the commercial traffic of ferries and container ships. This infrastructure provides greater fluidity for port activities, while enabling recovery of 50% of the old port areas in order to create a waterfront serving cruise passenger traffic. According to this general plan, the entire area of the Sporgente Centrale and Molo di Levante (respectively, the central and eastern moles or jetties) shall be dedicated to cruises, clearly leading to improvements in terms of working conditions and security. Maintenance work on the basin seabed has also been carried out, enabling attainment of a depth specification of less than 10 metres throughout the basin receiving cruise ship traffic.

VTP ENGINEERING

VTP Engineering − the technological division of Venezia Terminal Passeggeri – offers to operators from all over the world its portfolio of products, technological resources and disembarkation/boarding systems, present in Venice and which are also requested by Italy’s major ports. These systems include the M.B.T. (Multipurpose Boarding Tower) and the S.B.B. (Ship Boarding Bridge). M.B.T. is an innovative cruise passengers disembarkation and boarding system consisting in a mobile multi-functional tower with lifts between wharf, terminal and ship, for boarding at any deck height. This means multiple, alternative flows can be provided for passengers and wharf staff/crew. The S.B.B. system, in the other hand, provides traditional boarding gangplank solutions. Cruise passenger disembarkation and boarding takes place via two roofed longitudinal tilting gangplanks leading upward from the level of the fixed terminal entrance to the ship’s boarding port. This system includes motorised bogies for movement along the quay. The seaward hanger was designed for use with next-generation ships featuring lifeboats arrayed externally on the bulwark.

Presented today to the press the Terminal 123: the only faclity in the Marittima Cruise Terminal featuring an internal garden

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Completed in the record time of only three months, for VTP’s investment of 650.000 euros

PRESENTED TODAY TO THE PRESS THE TERMINAL 123: THE ONLY FACILITY IN THE MARITTIMA CRUISE TERMINAL FEATURING AN INTERNAL GARDEN

Sandro Trevisanato, Chairman of Venezia Terminal Passeggeri S.p.A: “Due to the voluntary agreement signed with the cruise lines for the placement of medium-sized ships in Venice we will welcome this year 1.635.000 cruisers (-5,7% on 2014) and 525 calls (+7,6%)”.

Today May 4th, the new terminal 123 was presented as a preview to the press. Following the relocation of ferry traffic to the Motorways of the Sea terminal in Fusina, the facility – used to serve this traffic until 2013 – was completely refurbished according to a preservation project.

“The Terminal 123, explains Sandro Trevisanato, Chairman of Venezia Terminal Passeggeri S.p.A,  becomes an extra terminal which will serve 45 calls in 2015 and represents a new step in the upgrading plan of the Marittima area that has been transformed from an obsolete commercial port into a state-of-the-art passenger terminal in the space of a few years, relaunching the image of Venice even under a productive point of view. The terminal is the only facility in the entire Marittima area featuring a Mediterranean internal garden open to the public. The facility was completed in the record time of only three months, for VTP’s investment of 650.000 euros”

During the press conference was briefed also on Venice cruise traffic data, confirming again for this season the Serenissima as the leading port of the Adriatic, followed by Dubrovnik and Corfù respectively in terms of passengers and calls growth. 

“Due to the voluntary agreement signed with the cruise lines for the placement of medium-sized ships in Venice we will welcome this year 1.635.000 cruisers (-5,7% on 2014) and 525 calls (+7,6%) – Mr. Trevisanato said – with the particularity that 91% of the traffic will be in turnaround.  We have managed – waiting for the necessary overturning of the regulation based on 96,000 tons limit that was declared unlawful by Veneto Regional Administrative Court – to slow down the traffic fall in comparison to the years with no limit. Without limits in fact, Venice would consolidate its leadership in the Mediterranean and would increase its traffic, generating positive effects on the entire Adriatic system. The current situation of continuing regulatory uncertainty risks to downgrade Venice to a peripheral destination used by old generation ships”.

As reported by the research “Venice and the Adriatic” by “Risposte Turismo” (dating end of 2013), the “Serenissima” remains crucial for the Adriatic cruise industry, assigning to Venice 54% of the total direct expenditure in the area (274 million out of a total of 507). This is why the situation of Venice will inevitably have negative repercussions on the above mentioned area, and on the related surrounding industry local and national employment.

Venice Terminal Passeggeri, the latest development for the 2015 season on show at Cruise Shipping Miami

On Wednesday March 18th, Venice Passenger Terminal (VTP), presented to the international industry operators at Cruise Shipping Convention Miami – the Worldwide reference trade show for the cruise industry – , the latest developments for the forthcoming cruise season 2015.
Following the relocation of ferry traffic to the Motorways of the Sea terminal in Fusina at the end of May 2014, expectation is growing for the new Terminal 123, currently undergoing restyling with a preservation and restoration project, which will be in operation from next spring. The terminal is on one level with an area of nearly 5,000 sq.m., dedicated to embarking and disembarking operations, and is the only facility in the entire Marittima area that features its own garden ‒ complete with Mediterranean scrub ‒ to be enjoyed by the public.
“The Miami show,” explains Sandro Trevisanato, Chairman of VTP, “offers a chance to highlight the conversion to cruise use of this new terminal, completed in record time; only three months for VTP’s investment of 2m euros, including viability and tensile structures of the surrounding areas. Terminal 123 becomes an extra terminal which will serve 45 calls and represent a new step in the upgrading plan of the Marittima area that has been transformed from an obsolete commercial port into a state-of-the-art passenger terminal in the space of a few years”. In line with the plan for replacing the old central collection luggage centre, Terminal 123 will be equipped with a new tensile structure for the collection and distribution of baggage with new covered structures for baggage drop-off points at each individual terminal building, capable of speeding up operations and raising safety standards.
Trevisanato continues, “Pending the necessary overturning of the regulation based on 96,000 tons limit that was declared unlawful by Veneto Regional Administrative Court, with a new and substantiated traffic regulation, the drop in traffic has been limited compared to the numbers of the last few years in the absence of constraints. Under the voluntary agreement signed with the cruise lines for the placement of medium-sized ships in Venice, over 1.5 million passengers will be recorded in 2015 with the distinction that 91% of the traffic will be turnaround, reducing transit traffic to a residual component. This confirms the strategic character of the Port of Venice for the entire cruise system. But this centrality is endangered by the uncertainty. In fact the Croatian Ports delegates have expressed greatest worry about the future. Talking with the leading cruise companies we are now convinces that if the stalemate situation of Venice will not change soon, the Adriatic area will disappear from the main itinerary. We should like to state once again that it is urgent to enact a measure unblocking the current situation  and that the regulation of the traffic should follow a qualitative criteria instead of e quantitative one, safeguarding at the same time Venice and its cruise industry excellence.”
In detail, 2015 will record 64 vessels positioned for 36 operating companies. Among the units calling for the first time are the Viking Star from Viking Ocean Cruises ‒ a ship that is currently under construction in Marghera shipyards and equipped with energy-efficient hybrid engines, and hydro-dynamically optimized streamlined hulls and bows for maximum fuel efficiency ‒ Aida Vita of Aida Cruises, Celebrity Constellation of Celebrity Cruises, Ocean Dream of Pullmantur Cruises, Sea Princess of Princess Cruises and Le Lyrial of Compagnie Des Iles du Ponant.
VTP INVOLVEMENT IN THE NETWORK OF PORTS
The development of activities continues with strong commitment in cruise ports in which VTP is a shareholder. In Ravenna (Ravenna Terminal Passeggeri), work is ongoing to improve the operational level of the seabeds; setting up important dredging that will allow new depth to be achieved in the turning basin so as to enable the hosting of large ships. There are new developments relating to infrastructure for Cagliari (Cagliari Cruise Port), where 2015 will see the launch of the new cruise terminal allowing all shipping operations to be comfortably performed, offering a service of excellence to both companies and passengers. While in Catania (Catania Cruise Terminal), work to create the new dock to the west of the port is in the process of completion. This dock will serve commercial traffic including ferries and container ships, enabling port activities to become more fluid.
VTP ENGINEERING
VTP Engineering, the technology division of Venice Passenger Terminal, presents its portfolio of products, technologies and embarking and disembarking systems used in Venice and requested by the major Italian ports, to operators from all over the World. Among these are the Multipurpose Boarding Tower (MBT) and Ship Boarding Bridge (SBB). The boarding tower is an innovative solution for the embarking and disembarking of cruise ship passengers that consists of a multifunctional mobile tower that uses lifts to connect the quayside, the terminal and the ship, whatever the height of the gangway, allowing multiple alternative routes for passengers and terminal operators and equipment. The SBB is a traditional version of a gangway. It allows cruise ship passengers to embark and disembark using two covered, inclinable, longitudinal bridges designed to compensate for the difference in height between the fixed access point of the terminal, which is higher, and the ship’s boarding deck. It features motorized wheel boxes for moving along the quayside, whereas on the sea side the structure is designed to allow connection with new generation ships with outboard lifeboats.

The Terminal 109-110 has been inaugurated – the new cruise terminal of Venice

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The refurbishment project, carried out in 12 months with an overall investment of 12 million Euro.

THE TERMINAL 109/110 HAS BEEN INAUGUARATED
THE NEW CRUISE TERMINAL OF VENICE
Thanks to its dimension of 14.000 square meters divided on two floors, Terminal 109/110 is the widest cruise facility of the Mediterranean with a standard – never reached so far – of 2 square meters of available surface for each passengers waiting to embark during the peak phases, fully limiting the anthropic pressure for each operational level.
The widest terminal of the Mediterranean dedicated to a single cruise ship, Terminal 109/110 has been inaugurated today, Tuesday 15th April 2014. A former warehouse has been refurbished to become an independent Passenger station located in Tagliamento Quay, in order to fluently serve two cruise ships simultaneously berthed in front of Terminal 107/108 and in front of the renewed Terminal 109/110, respectively.
The refurbishment was initially lead by the architect Maurizio Paveggio and then by the architect Vincenzo Di Donato who has endorsed furniture and interiors.
From the technological systems to the air-conditioning and the fire systems, from the elevators to the escalators, all the structural refurbishment interventions have followed a philosophy based on energetic savings and eco-sustainability, emphasizing the industrial archeology aesthetic, thanks to its elegant and minimal furniture.
Thanks to its dimension of 14.000 square meters divided on two floors, Terminal 109/110 is the widest cruise facility of the Mediterranean with a standard – never reached so far – of 2 square meters of available surface for each passengers waiting to embark during the peak phases, fully limiting the anthropic pressure for each operational level.
“The terminal 109/110 represents the last step of the requalification plan of the Marittima area that has been transformed from an old commercial port to a modern passenger terminal which stretches over a surface altogether of more than 260.000 sq. m. of which 93.000 sq. m. of covered surface, has a water basin of 123.700 sq.m. (Marittima Basin), 8 passenger terminals, 5 car parks and more than 3200 meters of quays”, declared Sandro Trevisanato, Chairman of VTP. “An industrial reconversion, made by VTP with the collaboration and coordination of the Venice Port Authority, giving back to Venice and its citizens an important productive area, offering a restyling of these areas more and more strategic for the local economy, bringing the Serenissima at the top levels of the international cruise industry, renovating and reinforcing the relationship between Venice and the sea. The new terminal brings along with the other modern and multifunctional facilities in the Marittima area, designed and refurbished taking into great consideration power saving and ecosustainability together with security standards for users. The multifunctional characteristic of the new terminal guarantees a leading role also in the trade fair and congress sector, reinforcing the productive vocation of Venice.”
The refurbishment project, carried out in 12 months with an overall investment of 12 million Euro, follows the most qualified conservation standards, totally respecting the previous structure, under the control of the Venice Port Authority and of the Commission for the Safeguarding of Venice. From a logistic point of view the new terminal represents a clear improvement of the viability of the Marittima Area, not only for the operators and passengers flows but also for the baggage handling, thanks to a conveyor belts system, routing bags and luggage directly to the service quay, through a tunnel located under the facility.
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Venezia Terminal Passeggeri takes centre stage at Cruise Shipping Miami 2014

The largest terminal in the Mediterranean designated for a single ship. This is the big news that Venezia Terminal Passeggeri, the company that has been promoting and developing passenger services at the port of Venice since 1997, will present to operators of Cruise Shipping Miami, the global convention of reference for the cruise shipping sector.
Terminal 109/110 will become operational in April 2014. Formerly a warehouse for stocking freight, it will now become a self-sufficient passenger terminal on the Tagliamento Quay, offering more efficient service when two ships are docked at the same time in front of berth 107/108 and the renovated berth 109/110. Its size, 14,000 squares meters on two floors, makes it the biggest port pavilion in the Mediterranean with a standard never reached before of 2 square meters of surface area available for every waiting passenger in peak periods, greatly limiting the pressure from human activities for each operational level. The renovation project, completed in 12 months with an overall investment by VTP of 12 million Euros, is in line with the most reliable conservation criteria and fully respects the existing facility, which is controlled by the Venice Port Authority and the Committee for the Safeguarding of Venice. From technological equipment to air-conditioning and fire suppression systems, not to mention lifts and escalators, all the interventions for the structural restoration of the building followed a philosophy based on energy saving and eco-sustainability, emphasizing the aesthetic appeal of industrial archaeology through minimal but elegant furnishings. But from a logistics point of view, the new terminal marks a sharp improvement in the practicality of the Marittima area, not only for the flow of operators and passengers, but also for baggage sorting through a system of conveyor belts that direct bags and suitcases through a tunnel below the building directly to the berth.
“Berth 109/110 is the latest step in the requalification plan of the Marittima area that from an obsolete commercial port has been transformed into a state-of-the-art passenger terminal – said VPT Chairman Sandro Trevisanato. An industrial reconversion that has reclaimed an important industrial area for the city, boosting the Serenissima to the top echelon of the global cruise shipping industry, by renewing and strengthening Venice’s relationship with the sea. The development of the passenger terminal infrastructure has also strengthened the relationship based on trust with major global cruise lines. In 2014, Disney and P&O chose Venice for the first time as an operating base for the Eastern Mediterranean. Among other new developments, I would like to point out the change in the use of berth 123, which, due to the transfer of ferries to the new Fusina Terminal, will be designated entirely for niche cruise liners“.
 
THE VTP SUBSIDIARY PORTS NETWORK
RAVENNA
Ravenna, a UNESCO world heritage site, is the only cruise port in Emilia-Romagna, a region that boasts some of Italy’s most outstanding historical and artistic attractions, as well as fine food and wine.
About 40 ships and 45,000 passengers are expected in 2014. Among the new ships in port, Regal Princess, the biggest ever to come to the port of Ravenna, Costa Classica, Grand Celebration, Seven Seas Mariner, Insignia and Braemar.
Details of a new cruise line terminal will be announced at the end of 2014. Work for the requalification of the former pier area will begin within the next few months, thanks to the combined efforts of the Ravenna Port Authority and the Province of Ravenna, and also due to the availability of EU funding for the strategic Europe Adriatic Sea-Way project.
CATANIA
The trend of Catania Cruise Terminal, the company that manages the Catania cruise ship terminal, continues to be positive. Above all, its success can be attributed to the “Old Customs House”, the building used for arrival/departure formalities and homeport operations. The terminal stands in a renovated, imposing, historic 19th-century facility that includes a shopping centre.
In order to offer passengers an increasingly high standard of services and hospitality, an important project to improve the design and functional layout of the terminal is underway, including major intervention on the pedestrian walkway that links the terminal and the Old Customs House with a covered bridge built with solar panels. New fenders were mounted this season that will improve the performance of the quays that can accommodate three ships at the same time, tested during the days of maximum influx when a peak of 15,000 cruise passengers was registered. Important in terms of safety and management of the stream of passengers was the removal of an old crane near the port’s protruding mid-section where the passenger access/exit checkpoints to the restricted zone for ship/shore interface are located.
The crew service operation was a success. The terminal will provide a service centre reserved exclusively for crew members, where they can purchase food and personal care products and treatments just a few steps away from their ship. These interventions were all but necessary given the growth in traffic at the port of the Etna area that saw the arrival of new flagships such as the Disney
Cruise Line. The new shipyard in the south port zone will also be completed and delivered very soon. It will serve commercial traffic of ferries and containers that will enable the return of part of the port area to the city.
CAGLIARI
Cagliari Cruise Port is the company, founded in 2012, that works closely with the Cagliari Port Authority to promote and increase cruise line traffic in the Port of Cagliari. The cruise line terminal operates from the Rinascita Quay, entirely dedicated to cruise shipping, with two quays – the 480m Ponente and 450m Levante – capable of accommodating the latest generation of ships.
Operators will be shown the company’s new promotional video at Miami, which highlights the rich historical and artistic heritage and landscape of the Cagliari region, in particular the area of the Nuraghi. The capital city is becoming increasingly important in international tourism and this year will also count on tourists and sailing fans. As a matter of fact, Luna Rossa is moving to Cagliari where it will set up a new base in view of the challenge of the 35th America’s Cup, planned for the summer of 2017. Southern Sardinia with Cagliari, a candidate for Italy for the European Capital of Culture, is the first Mediterranean destination to complete “Early Adopter”, the GSTC – Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria assessment for sustainable tourist destinations.
On the basis of the success obtained, a crew service will be activated at the Catania terminal. The terminal will provide a service centre reserved exclusively for crew members, where they can purchase food and personal care products and treatments just a few steps away from their ship.

VTP ENGINEERING
VTP Engineering, the technological division of Venezia Terminal Passeggeri will present operators of Cruise Shipping Miami its portfolio of products, embarkation and disembarkation systems that serve about 2 million passengers a year in Venice, and are recognised by stakeholders to be state-of-the-art systems that enable ships to speed up embarkation/disembarkation formalities and to operate in the terminal quickly in maximum security to the full benefit of on-land services such as transfers, parking, etc. Electronics and advanced robotics for lifts, bridges and panoramic tunnels can be found in the Multipurpose Boarding Tower, a unique ensemble of glass and steel with telescopic tunnels that reach the decks of the ship from the quay, at the various levels required depending on tide conditions. These brand new structures appear as a huge gangway that is capable of moving about 3,000 passengers/hour with an obvious benefit for both the ship and the terminal, the point of arrival or departure for thousands of cruise passengers for the many excursions.
Last autumn the cold ironing project (a system of electrification of the quays) of the docks of the Marittima area, deposited Tuesday, 16 July 2013 was presented by Venezia Terminal Passeggeri to the Venice Port Authority. This energy alternative allows ships in port, currently 20% of the fleet of the latest generation of ships, to receive electric power from land without keeping their engines on to supply generators on board and to make use of the heat generated by the shore-based installation to heat and cool port terminal facilities with a significant reduction in noise emissions and pollution. In particular, thanks to increased efficiency and systems to reduce emissions present in power stations, cold ironing enables a reduction of over 30% in CO2 emissions and more than 95% in nitrogen oxide and particulate compared to on-board ship generators. The area concerned by the project is the Tagliamento Quay with buildings 107/108 and 109/110, where upon completion of work, it will be possible to supply electrical power directly from the national grid to two/three ships at the same time. Work will be completed in fifteen months at a cost of about 20 million Euros.

THE NEW ROAD NETWORK
 The temporary transfer of ferries from Venice to Marghera – Vecon Terminal – and subsequent transfer as soon as it is completed to the new “Autostrade del Mare” terminal of Fusina which will be run by RO.Port MOS, freeing a significant area of the square around the Passenger Terminal, will enable VTP to increase standards of internal mobility in terms of security and smoothness, and to enlarge the parking area for cruise passengers.
A closer look at the details of the plan reveals that three islands will be created – a parking area at the Puente Quay and two at the Levanter Quay, around which the entire road system will be reorganised that envisages – as far as is practicable – one-way traffic, in order to assure more efficient movement of both service vehicles (including lorries with ship’ supplies) and private cars and buses.
The islands will be used as vehicle parking lots: at the Puente Quay, the three areas will be reserved respectively for operators (including taxis and private car rental), for cruise passengers and buses/lorries, while at the Levanter Quay, the area near the main branch; which is divided into two sections called respectively Park 4 and Park 5 will be designated to parking for the cars of cruise passengers and the other two, to the south and north of Alonzo Terminal 1 and 2 will be designated to buses and lorries.
Opposite the 9 cruise passenger terminals there will be parking areas designated exclusively for public security forces, Venice Port Authority, customs offices and for port operators for services related to cruise ships that dock along the quays of the Maritime area managed by VTP.
Particular emphasis should be given to the close proximity of the parking lots to the embarkation/disembarkation terminals to and from the cruise ships that speed up access and simplify use by providing tourists with a standard of comfort comparable with the most modern ports/airports worldwide.
The new road system and parking areas will be constantly under video surveillance and protected by security guards.
Overall, the parking areas can accommodate up to 2,500 cars (including some spaces reserved for the disabled) in addition to one hundred heavy vehicles such as Lorries and buses.

The Unesco intangibile cultural heritage. A convention with the leading international experts will be held in Venice

Venice October 28th 2013

Defined the subjects of the international convention: “The Intangible Cultural Heritage and Tourist Activities: the Case of Venice”, which will be held at the Venice Cruise Port, Terminal 103 on November 22nd and 23rd 2013.

The summit, organized by Venezia Terminal Passeggeri S.p.A, with the presence of the leading worldwide experts of the sector, will introduce the National and International intangible cultural heritage and the related protection and safeguarding policies, also in order to promote its better knowledge, understanding, cataloging and richness and variety recognition. The attendance to the convention is free upon registration. The attention is focused on Venice since the convention will represent an occasion for the promotion of the Venetian candidacies for the Intangible Cultural Heritage lists, foreseen by the UNESCO 2003 Convention.

The first day, Friday November 22nd 2013, will include two sections: during the morning the focus will be “The Intangible Cultural Heritage from a Worldwide and European perspective” addressing the most international aspects of the UNESCO International Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage with particular reference to tourism, intellectual property and non-governmental organizations.

The second section, during the afternoon, will take stock of “the Venetian Intangible Cultural Heritage” with an in-depth discussion on the Serenissima’s traditions including gondolas, Murano glass-making, Burano lace-making and precious fabrics-making. Attention will also be given to the Carnival of Venice, to the Commedia dell’Arte and to the arts of dancing, from the Angel’s Flight to Vertical Dance.

During the second and final day, Saturday November 23rd 2013, the convention will focus on “the National Intangible Cultural Heritage”: an in-depth discussion on the legal protection and state of the art about some ongoing experiences and projects under investigation.

The purpose of the UNESCO Convention is to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage of the communities, groups and individuals concerned, a particular vulnerable capital of the cultural sense of identity process.
The Intangible Cultural Heritage includes oral traditions and expressions, performing arts, music, festive events, rituals, traditional craftsmanship and social and traditional practice.

The Intangible Cultural Heritage is made of intangible elements which are not less precious of the tangible ones, and must be considered as items of cultural interest of the entire Humanity and consequently safeguarded at a Worldwide and National level.

Under the Convention have been set up the Urgent Safeguarding List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Humanity, the Register of the Best Safeguarding Practices.

The following elements proposed by Italy are currently inscribed in the first list:  the ‘Opera dei Pupi Siciliani’ Sicilian Puppet Theatre, a unique theatral art in the European panorama; the Canto a Tenore of Barbagia Sardinian Pastoral songs, one of the most extraordinary examples of polyphony of the Mediterranean, for complexity, timbric richness and expressiveness; the Mediterranean Diet, inscribed  by our Country together with Morocco, Spain and Greece, consisting in a nutritional model inspired by the alimentary habits of Mediterranean basin Countries; and finally “the traditional violin craftsmanship in Cremona”, the violin-maker art, worldwide highly renowned and appreciated for its techniques in the process of creating and restoring music instruments.

The scientific committee is composed by: Maria Laura Picchio Forlati, Italian Society of International Law, Scuola di San Rocco; Tullio Scovazzi, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan; Benedetta Ubertazzi, University of Macerata, Von Humboldt Foundation; Lauso Zagato, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice.

The attendance to the convention, which is the only one of this kind, is free upon registration. For attendance please visit the following Web site https://www.vtp.it/ and download the registration form.

Info: +39 041 240 3021/22/8777720
Web: www.vtp.it
Mail: eventi@vtp.it
Press Info: Sabino Cirulli – VTP’s press office
Phone: +39 349 2165175

Presented in a press conference today Wednesday October 23rd the results of the research “Venice and the Adriatic Sea”

Presented in a press conference today Wednesday October 23rd the results of the research “Venice and the Adriatic Sea”, commissioned by Venezia Terminal Passeggeri, and carried out by Risposte Turismo.

THE ANNUAL DIRECT ECONOMIC OUTCOME OF THE CRUISE INDUSTRY IN THE ADRIATIC SEA IS EQUAL TO 507 MILLIONS OF EUROS, OF WHICH 68, 2% IS GENERATED BY THE ITALIAN ADRIATIC SEA PORTS. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE TO ESTIMATE IN OVER 700 MILLIONS OF EUROS THE ADDED VALUE GENERATED IN THE ADRIATIC SEA OF WHICH 500 IN ITALY.

Green revolution at the Port of Venice: soon a quay will be provided with a shoreside power plant

Presented to the press also VTP’s network of ports: the management of four National ports in addition to Venice and advanced stage in negotiations with eight International and Italian ports.

Today, Wednesday, 17 July 2013, the cold ironing project to provide shoreside power to ships was unveiled to the press, after Venezia Terminal Passeggeri filed its plans with the Venice Port Authority yesterday, Tuesday 16 July 2013. Cold ironing is an alternative energy source that allows ships at berth — currently 20% of the new-generation fleet — to receive shoreside power without having to keep their engines running to power the onboard generators and exploit the heat generated by the ground system for the heating or cooling of port terminal buildings. The result is a significant reduction in emissions and noise pollution. In detail, compared to on-board generators, thanks to the greater efficiency and low-emissions systems on the electrical plants, cold ironing reduces CO2 emissions by more than 30% and nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions by more than 95%. The area involved in the project is the Tagliamento quay, and Buildings 107/108 and 109/110. On completion, electricity will be supplied directly from the national grid to two or three ships simultaneously. The project has taken 15 months to complete, at a cost of around €20 million. The growth of the cruise ship industry in the Adriatic is undoubtedly linked to the success of Venice, the Mediterranean’s primary cruise destination. Sandro Trevisanato, Chairman of VTP, can hardly conceal his delight: “This project is the result of a major investment plan, and attentive management that has successfully interpreted the trend in the market. With an area of 290,000 m², of which 93,000 m² are indoor, for a value of around half a billion euros, and investments of €150 million, plus €14 million for other infrastructure awaiting completion, we are now the first embarkation/disembarkation homeport in Europe, and the fifth in the world. “The port can now accommodate up to 7 ships simultaneously at the Marittima terminal, 12 including San Basilio, and handles up to 33,000 cruise ship passengers every day. After the 2012 impressive performance, this year’s forecast points to 2.5% growth, equivalent to 1,820,000 passengers. The outstanding results in terms of numbers, a growth of 500% in cruise traffic since 1997, combined with enhanced organisational capabilities and skills confirmed by international awards received, have not gone unnoticed by the leading players in the industry. It is no coincidence that we have been asked to partner some of the world’s leading cruise ship operators and public bodies, in managing several strategic Italian cruise ports. We have also received enquiries, and negotiations are now underway, about the management of other major international ports on the Mediterranean, where we are now the leading port, having overtaken Barcelona.” VTP’s expertise in managing ports with excellent, but as yet unexplored, potential has led to enquiries from eight terminals, in connection with the implementation of a model that combines outstanding management with innovative cruise marketing projects. The press conference was an opportunity to illustrate the network of ports with whom negotiations are ongoing: four foreign hubs and the same number of Italian ports. Istanbul. VTP has launched a study in partnership with a group of leading Turkish operators, in relation to planned investments in a new cruise ship terminal in Istanbul, with the capacity to accommodate five ships simultaneously. The area in question, Kazlicesme, is already a port and an interchange for the new metropolitan line in the European part of the city. Thanks to the strategic air links, and plans to build a third airport, it is also a strategic location for cruise ship tourism. According to Medcruise, 496,982 cruise ship passengers passed through the Turkish port last year. In Croatia, involvement in the management of three ports is currently under discussion with the local authorities, and the Italian Embassy in Zagreb has also provided assistance to VTP. Pula. VTP has been asked to participate in plans for the construction and management of a cruise ship passenger terminal at Capo Guc, in the Northern area of the port, on a 200,000 m² site with 2 km of shoreline and 450,000 m² of water. The sea terminal is expected to cover 8,000 m² and will include 450 indoor car parking spaces, and 1,400 outside. Pula, which has its own small but efficient international airport, also offers interesting opportunities for tourism and excursions, in a region packed with attractions such as Istria. The local Port Authority confirmed that 8,322 passengers travelled through the port in 2012.
Dubrovnik. Final plans are underway for a new multipurpose building destined to accommodate cruise embarkation/disembarkation operations. The local authorities have stated their interest in collaborating with VTP on the future development of this important tourist hub, strategically placed between Eastern and Western Europe. It is a destination with many valuable historic, cultural and natural assets, and is the country’s leading cruise port, welcoming about 80% of passengers arriving in Croatia (981,448 cruise ship passengers travelled to the port in 2012, according to Medcruise)
Zadar. VTP has been asked to join the project for the construction and management of a new 30,000 m² terminal building that will handle cruise ship operations at the new port facility in the south of the city. The terminal is still being completed, and will handle passengers from the cruise ships and ferries linking the Croatian islands. On completion, it will have three dedicated mooring points. 20,640 passengers were recorded in 2012 (Source: Medcruise)
Reggio Calabria, Vibo Valentia, Crotone and Corigliano Calabro: VTP has been asked to begin talks with the local regional governments and the Port Authority of Gioia Tauro, to contribute its know-how to some of Calabria’s strategic Mediterranean ports, which also offer infrastructure benefits thanks to a network of three airports. The regional government of Calabria’s master plan for 2013 envisages 15 cruise berths at the four ports, which will be able to handle an estimated 7,000 passengers, almost double the figure for 2012.
Besides Venice, VTP’s network includes other four Italian ports:
Ravenna. Since 2010, VTP has been a shareholder in Ravenna Terminal Passeggeri, the management company of the Ravenna cruise terminal, which handled more than 100,000 passengers in 2012 thanks to 17 shipowners who chose to operate from Ravenna with 21 different ships. Since 2010, the year in which the new management took over at Terminal Corsini, the number of cruise passengers has risen from 9,153 to 109,977 last year.
Catania. In 2011, VTP became a shareholder in Catania Cruise Terminal, the company that manages the regional cruise terminal. Since VTP took over from the Catania Port Authority, the number of passengers passing through the terminal has increased from 200,000 in 2011 to 290,327 in 2012.
Cagliari. Cagliari Cruise Port, of which VTP is a shareholder, was formed in 2012. In close collaboration with the Cagliari Port Authority, it promotes and develops cruise traffic through the port of Cagliari. Thanks to a mild climate that allows cruise ship operations to continue all year round, by the end of the year the number of passengers is expected to reach 170,000, doubling the 80,555 recorded in 2012.
Brindisi. Since 2012, VTP has been a shareholder in Brindisi Cruise Port, a company whose purpose is to manage and develop passenger traffic in Brindisi, a port with quays long and deep enough to accommodate the latest-generation ships. The port is strategically located along the North-South Adriatic and East-West Mediterranean routes,and is a privileged point of access to one of the busiest tourist destinations in southern Italy. In 2012, 13,507.

News from Venezia Terminal Passeggeri at Seatrade Cruise Shipping Miami

Technological innovation and infrastructure development: these are the two key programme guidelines for the Venice cruise terminal for 2013, set to be a year packed with new developments that Venezia Terminal Passeggeri will be illustrating to operators present at Sea Trade Miami (11-14 March 2013), the benchmark international convention for the cruise sector.
“Venice is the leading European homeport. We ended 2012 with an impressive performance, and forecasts for this year indicate a rise of 2.5%, for a total of 1,820,000 cruise passengers – notes Sandro Trevisanato, President of Venezia  Terminal Passeggeri, the company that since 1997 has been promoting and developing passenger traffic activities in the Port of Venice. In order to meet the significant challenges that lie ahead in the coming years, we have set out an important infrastructure development plan that will bring the total indoor surface area of the terminal buildings to 70,000 m2. The appeal of the name of Venice is not enough to keep us in the top spot, and we must be able to offer tourists who choose to sail on a cruise from Venice a terminal that offers an increasingly higher level of services”.
 
COMPANIES AND SHIPS DEPLOYED
Venice’s vocation as a homeport remains valid, as a result of its fortunate position south of Danubian Europe (Mitteleuropa) – a crossroads between East and West, between north and South -, well served both by the motorway network and by the nearby Marco Polo International Airport. The client portfolio for the 2013 season comprises 49 leading cruise companies, 31 of which are European (63% of the total), 16 American, one Japanese and one Israeli. Four of these are companies that will be arriving in Venice for the first time, totalling 13 calls: Disney Cruise Line, Paul Gauguin Cruises, Premier Cruises, TUI UK (Thomson Cruises). The ships deployed will be 89, seven of which will be calling in the lagoon for the first time:  Carnival Destiny (to be re-named Carnival Sunshine following refurbishment), Carnival Legend,  Disney Magic, Grand Holiday,  Le Soleal, MSC Fantasia and  Thomson Dream. MSC Crociere, Costa Crociere, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and Princess Cruises will once more be the main clients of the Port of Venice. Worth noting is the increase in operations in Venice on the part of Aida Cruises, the German brand of Costa Crociere, which is set to almost triple the offer of cruises departing from Venice (18 calls as compared to seven in 2012). Disney Cruise Line, a US company with quality standards that are among the highest in the sector, will be calling in Venice this year and in 2014 will make Venice its homeport for three calls during the summer. Performance forecasts for North American companies appear largely stable, with 670 thousand passengers expected, accounting for 37% of total traffic.
 
INFRASTRUCTURAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
As regards safety and technologies to improve the management of passenger flows, VTP has two important new developments in store for April 2013. Set to become operative at the Tagliamento Quay is the new SBB (Ship Boarding Bridge): an innovative mobile bridge that will allow passengers to board and disembark from cruise ships using two covered longitudinal bridges that can be tilted to bridge the gap between the departure floor of the terminal – generally higher up than the quay – and the boarding bridge of the ship. The compact size on the side facing out to sea will allow for connection with new-generation ships equipped with tenders outside the broadside, leaving the quay free for logistics operations. In order to optimise the service also for the ships in the second line, the connection has been extended for a further 146 metres, allowing the walkways to be used on the whole of the quay. Set to be installed on the Isonzo Quay is a new fixed, covered walkway, the protective glass of which will be used to power a photovoltaic plant, helping to make the terminal increasingly eco-sustainable. A further innovative development is the project to allow passengers to reclaim their luggage in each of the terminals rather than in the central technical structure, with a view to rationalising and speeding up passenger traffic flows.
As regards infrastructure development, work is soon to start on the renovation of building 109/110 for cruise purposes. The building, originally constructed in 1931 to store cotton and hitherto used simply as a warehouse, covers a surface area of 14,000 m2, with a height of 12 metres. The renovation work will guarantee a further independent passenger station on the Tagliamento quay, in order to provide a smoother service to two ships berthed at the same time, opposite Terminal 107/108 and the renovated Terminal 109/110 respectively. During 2012, important work was carried out to redevelop and renovate the entrance to the Marittima area,  including the new parking area 5, with 450 car spaces, which brings the total number in the area to 2080 and is located next to the People Mover, the raised monorail that in just 3 minutes takes travellers from the Passenger Port to the historic centre of Venice (car terminal and railway station), offering an efficient response to mobility demands and catering to the needs of international visitors. This will give added value to a terminal that is among the most accessible on the international scene, thanks to its close proximity to Marco Polo international airport. 
 
A NETWORK OF PORTS
The development of the cruise industry in the Adriatic is undoubtedly linked to the success of Venice, the leading cruise destination in the Mediterranean. The outstandingly efficient management of the passenger terminal, the development of environmental sustainability projects and the application of technological innovation to the segment are a model to emulate for all ports in the Adriatic.
“Our know-how and the improvement in performance have not gone unnoticed by the leading international players in the sector, – notesTrevisanato – and it is no coincidence that we have been asked to join forces with a number of groups of operators and institutions in managing a number of strategic cruise ports in the Mediterranean. In chronological order, we have succeeded in entering into the management of the ports of Ravenna, Catania, Cagliari and, most recently, Brindisi, while we are currently involved – along with a number of leading Turkish firms – in studying a project for the planning of and investment in a new cruise passenger terminal in Istanbul“.
Ravenna. Since 2010 VTP has been a shareholder of Ravenna Terminal Passeggeri, the company that manages Ravenna Cruise Terminal, through which over 100,000 passengers passed in 2012 thanks to 17 shipping companies that chose the port with 21 different ships. Significant new developments are in store for the immediate future:  the end of April will see the completion of the first phase of the work on the seabeds of the northern outer port and the cruise pier, which will bring the whole turning basin to a depth of over 10 m. The second phase, aimed at improving also the northern part of the basin and dock, will involve the excavation of about 100,000 m3, and will be completed in January/February 2014. Shortly, by the start of the cruise season, there will be a reorganisation of the road system for access to the cruise terminal, with new signs and smoother, safer routes. In the medium term, there will be the construction (currently pending authorisation), of the new terminal, measuring around 4000 m2, equipped with large service areas, parking areas and bio-architectures, which will also run on renewable energies, as well as the third mooring in the southern part of the basin.
Catania. The season has been positive for Catania Cruise Terminal, the company that manages the cruise terminal of Catania, which welcomed over 250,000 cruise passengers last year, up 20% on 2011. This success is mainly attributable to the “Vecchia Dogana”, the structure where welcoming and homeport activities are carried out, housed in a striking renovated 19th-century building with a shopping gallery inside. In order to offer an increasingly high-quality welcome, a significant overhaul has been planned of both the appearance and functions of the terminal, including significant work on the pedestrian route that links the terminal to the Vecchia Dogana building by means of a covered walkway, made using solar panels. In addition, the successful crew service operation has equipped the terminal with a services centre exclusively reserved for the crews, who, just steps away from the ship, are able to purchase food and personal care treatments and products. This is work that was virtually imperative, given the increase in traffic through a port that in 2014 is set to welcome new flagships of the calibre of Disney Cruise Line.  
Cagliari. Cagliari Cruise Port, set up in 2012, is the company that – in close collaboration with the Port Authority of Cagliari –  promotes and boosts cruise traffic in the Port of Cagliari.  The cruise season – which thanks to the mild climate is able to last all year round – began in January, with a total of seventy calls scheduled for 2013. The Cruise Terminal operates on the Rinascita Pier, with two quays, West (480 m) and East (450 m), able to accommodate latest-generation ships. The first phase, during which welcoming and check-in operations are carried out in a series of tensile structures and gazebos, will be followed, by the end of 2014,  by the construction of a terminal designed to cope with the growing volumes of passenger traffic. Also active from the beginning of the cruise season is a new shuttle service, with urban-type buses dedicated to cruise passenger flows, and due to be created shortly is a covered pedestrian walkway to link the terminal with the city centre.
Brindisi.  Since 2012, VTP has been part of the shareholding structure of Brindisi Cruise Port, the company in charge of managing and promoting passenger traffic in Brindisi, a port with quays of sufficient length and draught to accommodate latest-generation ships and located in a strategic position along the Northern-Southern Adriatic and Eastern-Western Mediterranean axes, offering excellent access to one of the areas in southern Italy of greatest importance for the tourist industry. In collaboration with the local Port Authority, a plan has been drawn up for a structure designed to welcome tourists, which will be put out for tender during the year and will also comprise work on the system of access to improve the efficiency of traffic towards the destinations of the excursions. With regard to traffic, the number of calls in 2012 – about 50 – is, at a conservative estimate, set to double by the end of 2014.