Moto Ondoso: Issue 2

After World War II, motorboats replaced rowboats as a faster and more efficient means of transporting people, goods, and waste in the Venetian canals. However, the powerful motors of the new boats introduced a new problem to Venice, moto ondoso. The canal walls were designed and built long before the motor boat’s introduction, and was thus not properly equipped to deal with the constant force of the boat wakes; thus, the walls began to slowly deteriorate over time and fall apart. This issue is not only connected to the canal walls but also to buildings, since canal walls serve as the foundations to the buildings of the city, both residential and business. Therefore, this problem is not only corrosive, but also very dangerous, causing destruction and chaos. As a boat moves through the water, it creates underwater turbulence that is caused by the spinning propellers. Wake is the portion of the turbulence that is seen on the surface of the water. The wake and turbulence combine to impact the canal walls, weakening and eroding them, calling for constant repair, coming from taxpayers, which increases the cost of living in Venice.

Moto ondoso can be aggravated further by clogged sewer outlets, boat collisions, and biological and chemical agents such as sulfuric acid, pollution, and algae, which thus increase the rate of canal wall erosion. The Venetian dependence on the canals is vital; not only do the canals transport people and goods, but they also play a major role in the waste disposal system of Venice. The canals divide Venice into more than 100 islands, all of which need to be accessible by boat such as garbage collection and ambulances. Also, since Venice’s economy is dependent on tourism, the use of the canals for sightseeing and tourist transportation is essential. This along with the large number of boats and inefficient motion of various boats causes congestion. Although there are many measures to help reduce this issue, this is still an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed.

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