Naples – A thick, foul-smelling blanket regularly envelops Borgo Orefici. Several residents of the neighborhood near the port have reported the incident, writing to Green-Left Alliance MP Francesco Emilio Borrelli.
According to reports, emissions from docked cruise ships and ferries make the air unbreathable, forcing residents to keep their windows closed even on hot days. The protests, residents explain, are not isolated: similar complaints have already been filed with the Port Authority, but the situation hasn't changed.
The problem, according to local residents, isn't a one-off but a systematic one: every time large ships dock, fumes fill the streets and homes. Borrelli collected the letters and reiterated the call for accelerating the electrification of the docks. "What's happening in Borgo Orefici is yet another demonstration of how ship pollution is suffocating the city and undermining the liveability of the neighborhoods near the port," he said.
"It's unacceptable that citizens have to barricade themselves in their homes, refusing to open their windows in the middle of summer, to protect themselves from the fumes emitted by the giants of the sea." For the AVS MP, the only structural solution is so-called cold ironing: connecting the ships to the shore power grid and turning off their engines while at rest.
"Turning off cruise ships and ferries' engines is the only way to eliminate emissions near homes. Public health and air quality cannot be overshadowed by maritime and tourist traffic."
The issue has been known for years. As long as ships remain docked with their generators running, the neighborhoods closest to the port—including Borgo Orefici—continue to suffer from smoke, odors, and dust. Without the completion of the electrification of the docks, residents and the MP warn, the inconvenience will remain "insurmountable."
What to know about the situation in Borgo Orefici
Here are some key points regarding pollution problems in the Borgo Orefici district of Naples.
- Polluting emissions: Cruise ships and ferries emit fumes that make the air unbreathable.
- Residents' protests: Residents have reported the problem to various authorities, but to no avail.
- Cold ironing: The proposal to reduce pollution is to electrify the docks to turn off the ships' engines.
- Public Health: Residents are forced to keep their windows closed, compromising their quality of life.
- Request for intervention: Representative Borrelli called for an acceleration in the implementation of solutions to reduce emissions.
