During a workshop on the EU project Remember
Protecting and enhancing Chioggia’s natural, social, and cultural heritage, as well as the identity of this maritime port, will be the driving force behind the town’s future development, particularly of its port, which is becoming increasingly oriented towards tourism (specifically, pleasure boating and cruises) and bolstering business opportunities.
These ambitions were raised in yesterday’s workshop on the past, present and future of Chioggia’s ports. The workshop was organised by the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority and the Municipality of Chioggia – Civic Museum of the Southern Lagoon, in partnership with the Venice and Rovigo Chamber of Commerce, the University of Padua Biology Department, and the Port of Venice Propeller Club, as part of the EU project, Remember: REstoring the MEmory of Adriatic ports sites. Maritime culture to foster Balanced tERritorial growth. This project has been funded by the EU Italy-Croatia Cross Border Cooperation programme.
During the meeting, the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority – Ports of Venice and Chioggia presented a series of interventions and projects that it plans to develop. In doing so, they will use the area’s specialisms as a springboard and collaborate with local institutions and the Veneto port cluster. Some of these projects form part of the planning stage established by the body subject to the Programme Agreement with the Municipality of Chioggia (a preliminary agreement to the Strategic System Planning Document and to the Port Regulatory Plan). This includes projects to enhance the port area of Saloni Island (to be used for pleasure boating and cruise purposes), the site of the former cement plant, and the private sites in the port area of Val da Rio. The aim is to integrate the purposes set out by the current Regulatory Plan with those concerning logistics and recreation and, finally, to regenerate the port waterfront, starting with Val da Rio. With regards to environmental sustainability, there were detailed discussions on projects to reclaim and recover use of the state-owned building 900 on Saloni Island, and to reclaim and environmentally redevelop areas for the construction of quays A-B of the fluvial marine terminal in Val da Rio. With regards to culture, there was mention of initiatives and projects to launch new tourist itineraries. It was announced that, from June 2022, the Virtual Museum of the Ports of Venice and Chioggia would be made available. This virtual museum is the result of a broad partnership with local public and private stakeholders, as well as others including the Museum of the Southern Lagoon and the Municipality of Chioggia.
“Interest around the Port of Chioggia is on the rise,” commented Fulvio Lino Di Blasio, Chairman of ADPSMAS, “both in terms of business and tourism. As has already been set out in the 2022-2024 Three-Year Operating Plan, we are tasked with creating an innovative and sustainable port model. We began by placing a strong emphasis on completing the unification of the state-owned ports of Venice and Chioggia. We are now entering a critical planning phase in which we will collaborate with the municipal authorities to build common ground for the development of the port and port-city relations. Including the port area in the Simplified Logistics Zone is also a significant step towards increasing operators’ propensity to invest in the Chioggia seaport. Planning, giving impetus to the Simplified Logistics Zone, complying with the MOSE project, creating plans for accessibility, culture and sustainability, developing fishing and fishing boats, and port-city engagement are the keys to developing the Port of Chioggia. We are committed to ensuring that Val da Rio continues to fulfil its main business and logistical functions, while also aiming to boost Saloni Island’s tourism and cruise industry.”
After passing on greetings from the municipal authorities, the Mayor of Chioggia, Mauro Armelao, announced the following: “Institutional collaboration with AdSP and the Port Captaincy has got off to an immediate start, allowing them to come together to address issues that prevent the small and medium cruise industry from being brought into the city; an industry which, undeniably, is an asset to the area. òòòòòòTourism is Chioggia’s calling, and so we are ready to welcome and host cruise passengers. All those who have played an active role in the relaunch of this town, which boasts enormous potential, are at the ready. In this sense, the vertiport provides another opportunity that we want to take advantage of in order to relaunch Chioggia’s future; a future that must include not only the commercial port, but also the cruise industry on Saloni Island (an area of possible urban expansion, with potential to be used for parking).”