Port inlets
Index
The port inlets are the openings in the coastal barriers that allow seawater to enter the lagoon and lagoon water to flow out to sea, depending on the tidal phase. They are vital for water exchange between lagoon and sea, and also for commercial, recreational and fishing navigation. In addition, they act as habitats and corridors for many marine and lagoon species. The Venetian Lagoon has three port inlets: Lido, Malamocco and Chioggia. Historically, maintaining their navigability was crucial to Venice’s rise as a commercial, military and cultural power in the Mediterranean, allowing the movement of both goods and people.
The Lido inlet, the northernmost and widest of the three, is about 800 metres across with an average depth of around 9 metres. It mainly serves pleasure craft and fishing boats. It has always had a strategic role: in the Middle Ages, Venetian fleets set sail from here, and major ceremonies such as the “Marriage of the Sea” during the Festa della Sensa took place in its waters.
The Malamocco inlet, further south, is about 400 metres wide and 14 metres deep. It provides access for large ships bound for the industrial and commercial port of Marghera.
The Chioggia inlet, the southernmost of the three, is also about 400 metres wide, with an average depth of 7 metres. It is mainly used for local navigation, especially by fishing boats and pleasure craft, and for access to the port of Chioggia.
Over the centuries, the inlets have been reshaped by engineering works, first to prevent silting and improve navigation, and later to protect the lagoon from flooding. All three are now part of the MOSE project, a system of mobile barriers designed to protect Venice from exceptional tides.
These seabed gates can be raised when needed to block high water from entering the lagoon, safeguarding the city and its surroundings.
The installation of MOSE at the inlets is a major engineering achievement in flood defence, but it also raises questions about its long-term sustainability and potential effects on the lagoon ecosystem.