Italy has announced a ban on large cruise ships sailing into the northern city of Venice.
意大利宣布禁止大型邮轮驶入北部城市威尼斯。

Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said the ban was approved during a Cabinet meeting on July 13 and will take effect August 1. It covers the lagoon near the city's St. Mark's Square and the Giudecca Canal. The lagoon area is used by cruise ships stopping in Venice. Venice is built on a system of canals.
意大利文化部长达里奥·弗朗切斯基尼表示，该禁令在7月13日的内阁会议上获得批准，并将于8月1日生效。它涵盖了该市圣马克广场和和朱代卡运河附近的泻湖。该泻湖区域供邮轮在威尼斯停靠。威尼斯建立在运河系统之上。

Franceschini said the government decided to act fast to avoid the U.N. culture agency UNESCO adding Venice to its list of World Heritage in Danger sites at an upcoming meeting in China.
弗朗切斯基尼表示，政府决定迅速采取行动，以避免联合国教科文组织在即将在中国举行的会议上将威尼斯列入其濒危世界遗产名录。

UNESCO suggested last month it could put Venice on the list. The agency says the cruise ships -- which carry and unload thousands of day-trippers -- threaten the surrounding water environment.
联合国教科文组织上月指出它可能会将威尼斯列入该名录。该机构表示运来数千名一日游游客的邮轮威胁到周边水域环境。

The government order also declared the waterways of St. Mark's Basin, St. Mark's Canal and the Giudecca Canal a national monument, the minister added.
弗朗切斯基尼还表示，这项政府命令还宣布将圣马克盆地、圣马克运河和朱代卡运河的水道作为国家保护区。

Environmentalists and cultural heritage activists have long sought to establish a ban on cruise ships in Venice. But the plans were opposed by local business leaders, who argue that the ships should be permitted because they bring in so much money.
环保主义者和文化遗产活动人士长期以来一直寻求禁止邮轮进入威尼斯。但是这些计划遭到了当地商界领袖的反对，他们认为应该允许这些船只进入，因为他们带来了很大收入。

Franceschini told reporters the government's decision was "awaited by UNESCO and by all those who have been to Venice and who have remained disturbed by the huge size of these ships passing through..."
弗朗切斯基尼对记者表示，意大利政府的这项决定“是联合国教科文组织以及所有去过威尼斯的人士期待已久的，他们对这些大型船只的通过感到不安。”

The Italian government had decided on a ban earlier this year but did not immediately set a start date.
意大利政府今年早些时候曾经决定出台禁令，但是并未立即制定生效时间。

The ban covers ships weighing more than 25,000 tons or longer than 180 meters. It also bars smaller ships that produce too much pollution or could otherwise harm the city's environment.
该禁令涵盖了重量超过2.5万吨或长度超过180米的船舶。它还禁止了产生过多污染或可能损害城市环境的小型船只。

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi's office said other ships that are "considered sustainable" to the Venetian environment can continue to stop in Venice. The office noted that permitted ships generally carry about 200 passengers compared to the thousands transported by large cruise ships.
意大利总理马里奥·德拉吉的办公室表示，其它被认为对威尼斯环境可持续的船只可以继续在威尼斯停靠。该办公室指出，与大型邮轮可运送数千名乘客相比，获准船只通常可搭载约200名乘客。

When cruise passengers are dropped in Venice, they generally only have a few hours to spend in the city. Most passengers end up visiting popular sites like St. Mark's Square, adding to the city's already crowded public spaces.
当邮轮乘客在威尼斯下船时，他们通常只能在该市呆上几个小时。大多数乘客最终都会前往圣马克广场等热门景点，加剧了该市本已拥堵的公共场所的拥堵程度。

No cars are permitted in historic Venice, which is made up of narrow passages and numerous bridges. During the city's high tourist season, getting around Venice on foot can be difficult.
历史悠久的威尼斯由狭窄的水路和众多桥梁组成，汽车被禁止进入。在这座城市的旅游旺季，步行游览威尼斯可能很困难。

The government order also establishes compensation plans for industry businesses and others affected by the ban.
这项政府命令还对受禁令影响的工业企业和其它企业制定了补偿计划。

Officials plan to seek other possible stopping points for cruise ships in waters outside the heart of Venice. For now, the government has approved at least four temporary sites near the industrial port of Marghera, on the northwestern Adriatic Sea.
有关官员计划在威尼斯市中心以外水域寻找其它可能的邮轮停靠点。目前，政府已经批准在亚得里亚海西北部的马格拉工业港口附近设立至少4处临时停靠点。

I'm Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，请勿转载，违者必究！)

Italy has announced a ban on large cruise ships sailing into the northern city of Venice.

Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said the ban was approved during a Cabinet meeting on July 13 and will take effect August 1. It covers the lagoon near the city's St. Mark's Square and the Giudecca Canal. The lagoon area is used by cruise ships stopping in Venice. Venice is built on a system of canals.

Franceschini said the government decided to act fast to avoid the U.N. culture agency UNESCO adding Venice to its list of World Heritage in Danger sites at an upcoming meeting in China.

UNESCO suggested last month it could put Venice on the list. The agency says the cruise ships -- which carry and unload thousands of day-trippers -- threaten the surrounding water environment.

The government order also declared the waterways of St. Mark's Basin, St. Mark's Canal and the Giudecca Canal a national monument, the minister added.

In this Sept. 27, 2014 file photo a cruise ship transits in the Giudecca canal in front of St. Mark's Square, in Venice, Italy. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Environmentalists and cultural heritage activists have long sought to establish a ban on cruise ships in Venice. But the plans were opposed by local business leaders, who argue that the ships should be permitted because they bring in so much money.

Franceschini told reporters the government's decision was "awaited by UNESCO and by all those who have been to Venice and who have remained disturbed by the huge size of these ships passing through..."

The Italian government had decided on a ban earlier this year but did not immediately set a start date.

The ban covers ships weighing more than 25,000 tons or longer than 180 meters. It also bars smaller ships that produce too much pollution or could otherwise harm the city's environment.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi's office said other ships that are "considered sustainable" to the Venetian environment can continue to stop in Venice. The office noted that permitted ships generally carry about 200 passengers compared to the thousands transported by large cruise ships.

When cruise passengers are dropped in Venice, they generally only have a few hours to spend in the city. Most passengers end up visiting popular sites like St. Mark's Square, adding to the city's already crowded public spaces.

No cars are permitted in historic Venice, which is made up of narrow passages and numerous bridges. During the city's high tourist season, getting around Venice on foot can be difficult.

The government order also establishes compensation plans for industry businesses and others affected by the ban.

Officials plan to seek other possible stopping points for cruise ships in waters outside the heart of Venice. For now, the government has approved at least four temporary sites near the industrial port of Marghera, on the northwestern Adriatic Sea.

I'm Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

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Words in This Story

cruise ship – n. a large ship that is similar to a hotel, on which people travel for pleasure

lagoon – n. a lake that contains sea water

canal – n. an artificial river built for boats to travel through

heritage – n. buildings, paintings, customs, etc. that are important in a culture or society because they have existed for a long time

disturb – v. to worry or cause to be upset

sustainable – adj. involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources

compensation – n. money that is paid to someone to make up for losses or damages