Port Regulatory Plans

Below are the site plans in PDF format.

• – Site Plan
• – Excavation Section

The access routes from the sea to the Port of Venice

The Venice Lagoon, which covers a total area of 55,000 hectares, is served by three port entrances: S. Nicolò di Lido, Malamocco, and Chioggia. These are connected to three distinct lagoon basins, separated in terms of hydraulic regime by recognizable watershed areas.

In earlier times, the maritime traffic of greater volume was conducted through the port entrance of Malamocco, favored by greater natural depths. So much so that Napoleon, aiming to restore Venice’s function as a primary naval base, promoted the study of its marine arrangement. This was eventually carried out with the construction of breakwaters during the period 1839-1872.

However, since the port entrance of Malamocco was connected to Venice through a lagoon canal that was difficult to maintain, and as traffic gradually increased along with the size of naval transport vessels, it was decided to directly connect Venice to the sea by appropriately improving the port entrance of S. Nicolò di Lido, between the years 1882-1910. During this period, the new commercial port of “Marittima” was also established. All maritime traffic to and from Venice permanently shifted from Malamocco to S. Nicolò di Lido.

The old industrial zone of Porto Marghera (formerly known as the industrial zone) originated from the Regulatory Plan of October 30, 1925, and the agreement of August 18, 1926. Through this agreement, the execution of works was entrusted to the Società Anonima del Porto Industriale di Venezia (Anonymous Company of the Industrial Port of Venice).

In 1946, the utilization of the areas in the first industrial zone was complete, covering an area of approximately 550 hectares, divided into sectors: petroleum, industrial, and commercial. However, the Port Regulatory Plan of 1925 envisioned an expansion area (now known as the second industrial zone) extending to Fusina, covering approximately 1,000 hectares, with around 800 hectares designated for industrial use. The implementation of the second industrial zone was jointly undertaken by the State (through the Civil Engineering Department for Maritime Works) and the local authorities of Venice united in the Consortium for the Development of the Port and Industrial Zone of Venice-Marghera. This was based on the Regulatory Plan of August 27, 1953, and its variations from June 6, 1956, prepared by the Civil Engineering Department for Maritime Works, effectively replacing the Regulatory Plan of October 30, 1925.

While the Ministry of Public Works was responsible for excavating maritime navigation canals, the Consortium completed canal excavation works and constructed roads and railways within the zone. As early as the 1953 project, the Civil Engineering Department for Maritime Works proposed the opening of a new major navigation canal from Porto Marghera to the port entrance of Malamocco, redirecting maritime traffic away from the historic center of the city of Venice. This included the establishment of an oil port on the southern edge of the second industrial zone. This concept remained foundational for subsequent projects by the Civil Engineering Department in 1956, 1961, and 1962. In these projects, the goal was to move the oil port further south into the lagoon basin of Malamocco. The Malamocco-Marghera canal project took on different routes and larger dimensions to accommodate the discharge of large-tonnage oil tankers into the port of Venice.

With the law of March 2, 1963, which established the current “Mandatory Consortium for the New Expansion of the Port and Industrial Zone of Venice-Marghera,” an additional expansion area for the port and industrial zone of Venice-Marghera was identified (now referred to as the third industrial zone). The Consortium was mandated to develop a new General Regulatory Plan as a result.

The establishing law entrusts the Consortium with the task of preparing the General Regulatory Plan for the area, as well as the outline plans and the related executive projects for the implementation of the law itself, and the utilization programs for the area. These projects are approved by a Decree from the Minister for Public Works, following consultation with the Superior Council and the Water Magistrate (regarding the protection of the lagoon).

Therefore, a special Commission was formed by the Consortium’s Board of Directors, composed of the following members: Dr. W. Dorigo (Chairman), Cav. C. Ballarin, Ing. V. Baruscotto, Ing. G. Casadoro, Ing. G. Gusso, Ing. M. Marcantoni, Ing. F. Pagnin, Ing. A. Toniolo, Rag. S. Fabbro, and the Director of the Consortium, Ing. I. Perruccio. They were tasked with the study and preparation of the General Regulatory Plan.

This Commission initially gathered studies conducted by various parties, focusing on the economy and industrialization possibilities of the region, as well as the infrastructure projects at the provincial level. They also assessed the situation of the lagoon. Their work was concentrated on a predictive study with the aim of qualifying and quantifying the preliminary elements of planning and sizing for the expansion area of Porto-Marghera.

The research was structured around the following points:

1. a) Identifying the role that the productive system of Porto-Marghera (both existing facilities and those planned) could play in the context of the region’s industrial development.
2. b) Determining the most appropriate product and technological integration for Porto-Marghera, to be achieved through the new activities that could be established in the third zone.
3. c) Estimating the evolution of the volume of traffic at the port, considering key characteristics in terms of merchandise sectors, origins and destinations, loading and unloading means, and transportation.

During the Commission’s work, numerous service conferences were convened, attended by representatives from the municipalities of Venice and Mira, the Province of Venice, ANAS (Italian National Roads and Motorways Authority), ICMC (Central Institute for Economic Studies), Italian State Railways (FF.SS.), Reclamation Consortia, the Civil Engineering Department for Maritime Works, the Harbor Master’s Office, Port Pilots, and the Civil Engineering Department for Public Works.

The Commission received consultancy from the Director of the Institute of Maritime Construction at the University of Padua, Prof. Ing. Guido Ferro, and had access to other studies, research, and projects from technical consultancy institutes and companies.

After thorough examination and discussion by the Consortium’s Board of Directors, the General Regulatory Plan was adopted on July 7, 1964. It was subsequently reviewed and approved favorably by the Superior Council of Public Works, gathered in a general assembly on March 12, 1965.