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Japan Considers Restarting World’s Largest Nuclear Plant in Niigata

The first cruise ship leaving Venice since the pandemic is set to depart on Saturday amid protests by activists demanding that the ship be rerouted out the fragile lagoon, especially Giudecca Canal through the city's historic center. They say the enormous vessels 'weighing over 90,000 tonnes and carrying thousands of passengers at a time' pose environmental and safety risks to the canal and the city.

Another protest is also planned on Saturday by pro-cruise activists whose jobs depend on having thousands of visitors flowing through one of Italy's top tourist destinations.

Italian Premier Mario Draghi's government pledged this winter to get cruise ships out of the Venice lagoon, but it will likely take years to reach that goal.

The government says it is organising bids for a viable alternative outside the lagoon, which should be posted any day now. Still, even an interim alternative route to the Giudecca Canal won't be ready until next year, Italy's Ministry for Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility said in an email.

"Meanwhile, in 2022, as a temporary solution, a certain number of ships can dock in Marghera, relieving the traffic through Venice,'' the ministry said. Marghera, an industrial port west of Venice that is still within the lagoon, will require lengthening existing piers to accommodate larger vessels as well as dredging a canal on the approach, cruise industry officials say.

Because Marghera is an industrial site, that also means testing the sediment to be dredged for harmful pollutants. Venice has become one of the world's most important cruise destinations over the last two decades, serving as a lucrative turnaround point for 667 cruise ships in 2019 carrying nearly 700,000 passengers, according to the cruise industry trade association, Cruise Lines International.

While some cruise companies have experimented with Trieste to the west or Ravenna to the south as drop-off points for those visiting Venice during the pandemic, industry officials say Venice remains a key port of call for cruises in the Adriatic Sea and eastern Mediterranean.

The passage on Thursday of the MSC Orchestra 'a cruise ship 300 meters (about 985 feet) long that towered over Venice with 16 decks' marked the first time a cruise ship had traveled up the Giudecca Canal since January 2020, before the pandemic shut down the industry.

When the ship sets sail later on Saturday, passengers will enjoy a deck-side view of St&nbsp;Mark's Square, the Doges Palace and the Bridge of Sighs as they exit the lagoon. They also will pass protesters, who have been campaigning since the 2012 Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster off Tuscany that killed 32 people to get the ships out of Venice's lagoon.

Concerns about cruise ships were heightened two years ago this week when the MSC Opera struck a dock and a tourist boat, injuring five people, while maneuvering through the Giudecca Canal.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The first cruise ship leaving Venice since the pandemic is set to depart on Saturday amid protests by activists demanding that the ship be rerouted out the fragile lagoon, especially Giudecca Canal through the city's historic center.

The first cruise ship leaving Venice since the pandemic is set to depart on Saturday amid protests by activists demanding that the ship be rerouted out the fragile lagoon, especially Giudecca Canal through the city's historic center. They say the enormous vessels 'weighing over 90,000 tonnes and carrying thousands of passengers at a time' pose environmental and safety risks to the canal and the city. Another protest is also planned on Saturday by pro-cruise activists whose jobs depend on having thousands of visitors flowing through one of Italy's top tourist destinations. Italian Premier Mario Draghi's government pledged this winter to get cruise ships out of the Venice lagoon, but it will likely take years to reach that goal. The government says it is organising bids for a viable alternative outside the lagoon, which should be posted any day now. Still, even an interim alternative route to the Giudecca Canal won't be ready until next year, Italy's Ministry for Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility said in an email. "Meanwhile, in 2022, as a temporary solution, a certain number of ships can dock in Marghera, relieving the traffic through Venice,'' the ministry said. Marghera, an industrial port west of Venice that is still within the lagoon, will require lengthening existing piers to accommodate larger vessels as well as dredging a canal on the approach, cruise industry officials say. Because Marghera is an industrial site, that also means testing the sediment to be dredged for harmful pollutants. Venice has become one of the world's most important cruise destinations over the last two decades, serving as a lucrative turnaround point for 667 cruise ships in 2019 carrying nearly 700,000 passengers, according to the cruise industry trade association, Cruise Lines International. While some cruise companies have experimented with Trieste to the west or Ravenna to the south as drop-off points for those visiting Venice during the pandemic, industry officials say Venice remains a key port of call for cruises in the Adriatic Sea and eastern Mediterranean. The passage on Thursday of the MSC Orchestra 'a cruise ship 300 meters (about 985 feet) long that towered over Venice with 16 decks' marked the first time a cruise ship had traveled up the Giudecca Canal since January 2020, before the pandemic shut down the industry. When the ship sets sail later on Saturday, passengers will enjoy a deck-side view of St Mark's Square, the Doges Palace and the Bridge of Sighs as they exit the lagoon. They also will pass protesters, who have been campaigning since the 2012 Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster off Tuscany that killed 32 people to get the ships out of Venice's lagoon. Concerns about cruise ships were heightened two years ago this week when the MSC Opera struck a dock and a tourist boat, injuring five people, while maneuvering through the Giudecca Canal. (With inputs from agencies)

Cruise ships restart in Venice; protesters decry their risks

Three giants of the cruise industry will return to the seas within weeks, with Norwegian Cruise Lines on Monday becoming the latest to announce its US ships will set sail starting in early August.&nbsp;

After a year of crippling losses, Carnival and Royal Caribbean said late last week their first post-pandemic cruises will set sail in July, after the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) earlier this month gave the green light to allow trips with passengers and crew who received Covid-19 vaccinations.&nbsp;

"We have been waiting for a very long time to announce a resumption of cruising from the US. We are so proud to be sailing for the first time in over a year from our special homeport of Seattle to the breathtaking state of Alaska," Harry Sommer, chief of Norwegian Cruise Line, said in a statement.&nbsp;

Cruise operations were suspended on March 14, 2020 when the CDC issued a "no sail order" to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus. Several ships already had deadly outbreaks on board.&nbsp;

Some cruise ships resumed operations in Europe and elsewhere last year, but the ban remained in place in the United States.&nbsp;

All three companies will offer trips from Seattle to Alaska as their inaugural cruises.&nbsp;

Norwegian said "all crew and passengers must be fully vaccinated to embark."&nbsp;

Carnival said its trips will be available to guests who received their final dose at least two weeks prior, and likewise Royal Caribbean will require vaccinations of all passengers over the age of 16, and after August 1 all those over the age of 12.&nbsp;

Norwegian will offer week-long voyages starting August 6, while Royal Caribbean will leave port first with a similar trip July 19 and Carnival's Holland American Line will start July 24.&nbsp;

"It's been a tough year for everyone, but people clearly have pent-up demand to cruise again, and we can't wait to get back to what we do best," Royal Caribbean Chief Executive Richard D Fain said in last week's statement.&nbsp;

Disney Cruise Lines in early May announced all trips were canceled through the end of July, but on Monday declined to provide details to AFP on when sailing would resume.&nbsp;

Three giants of the cruise industry will return to the seas within weeks, with Norwegian Cruise Lines on Monday becoming the latest to announce its US ships will set sail starting in early August.

Three giants of the cruise industry will return to the seas within weeks, with Norwegian Cruise Lines on Monday becoming the latest to announce its US ships will set sail starting in early August. After a year of crippling losses, Carnival and Royal Caribbean said late last week their first post-pandemic cruises will set sail in July, after the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) earlier this month gave the green light to allow trips with passengers and crew who received Covid-19 vaccinations. "We have been waiting for a very long time to announce a resumption of cruising from the US. We are so proud to be sailing for the first time in over a year from our special homeport of Seattle to the breathtaking state of Alaska," Harry Sommer, chief of Norwegian Cruise Line, said in a statement. Cruise operations were suspended on March 14, 2020 when the CDC issued a "no sail order" to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus. Several ships already had deadly outbreaks on board. Some cruise ships resumed operations in Europe and elsewhere last year, but the ban remained in place in the United States. All three companies will offer trips from Seattle to Alaska as their inaugural cruises. Norwegian said "all crew and passengers must be fully vaccinated to embark." Carnival said its trips will be available to guests who received their final dose at least two weeks prior, and likewise Royal Caribbean will require vaccinations of all passengers over the age of 16, and after August 1 all those over the age of 12. Norwegian will offer week-long voyages starting August 6, while Royal Caribbean will leave port first with a similar trip July 19 and Carnival's Holland American Line will start July 24. "It's been a tough year for everyone, but people clearly have pent-up demand to cruise again, and we can't wait to get back to what we do best," Royal Caribbean Chief Executive Richard D Fain said in last week's statement. Disney Cruise Lines in early May announced all trips were canceled through the end of July, but on Monday declined to provide details to AFP on when sailing would resume.

Major cruise lines to restart voyages for vaccinated passengers 

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