The Ports of Venice and Chioggia, located within the Venetian lagoon, are accessible every day of the year and at all hours, with favorable marine weather conditions. They are the only ones in Italy to also serve as river ports, allowing the forwarding of goods through the internal navigation network that runs along the Po Valley.
In Venice, the port sections of San Leonardo, Fusina, and Marghera receive merchant ships carrying petroleum products, rolling stock, containers/bulk goods, and, since 2022, passenger ships. The sections of San Basilio, S. Marta, and Marittima are dedicated to passenger traffic on fast ships and cruise ships with a gross tonnage of less than 25,000 tons (GT), both maritime and river.
The port section of Val da Rio in Chioggia receives various cargo ships and bulk goods, while maritime and river passenger ships dock in the section of Isola Saloni, where there is also bulk cargo traffic.
Three access points for the two ports
The Port of Venice has two sea entrances: the Malamocco port entrance for ships bound for San Leonardo, Fusina, and Marghera, and the Lido port entrance for ships bound for San Basilio, S. Marta, and Marittima.
The Chioggia port entrance allows access to both Isola Saloni and Val da Rio.
Access to
VENICE CARGO PORT
Through the Malamocco port entrance, ships reach S. Leonardo, Fusina, and Marghera by navigating through the Malamocco-Marghera canal, which leads to various terminals where ships with a maximum draft of 11.5 meters can dock.
Access to VENICE
VENICE PASSENGER PORT
The S. Nicolò port entrance is dedicated to passenger traffic (ships with a gross tonnage of less than 25,000). Cruise ships, fast ships, and yachts reach S. Basilio, S. Marta, and Marittima by crossing the Giudecca Canal and can dock at dedicated quays that can accommodate ships with a draft of up to 8.7 meters.
Access to
CHIOGGIA PORT
Through the Chioggia port entrance, cargo or passenger ships can reach the quays located in both Isola Saloni and Val da Rio, where they can dock with drafts of up to 7 meters.
River Ports
The river-maritime network that starts from the ports of Venice and Chioggia extends along the Italian internal navigation axis, with a balanced traffic of bulk goods, various goods (including exceptional loads), and containers up to Cremona and Mantova.
These internal waterways can be navigated by Va-class river vessels (110 meters in length, 11.4 meters in width).
River cruise ships also travel along the same route.