On December 14th, the Ghost Boats 3.0 operation took place, focusing on the removal and recycling of several end-of-life fiberglass boats abandoned in the natural environment of the Venetian Lagoon.
This initiative was carried out thanks to the collaboration between Venice Lagoon Plastic Free (VLPF) and Gees Recycling, as part of the MAELSTROM project, with the support of Sea the Change and the contribution of the Aliaxis Group, which endorsed the third edition of VLPF’s “Ghost Boats” program.
The Ghost Boats program, aimed at recovering and recycling every end-of-life fiberglass boat in the Venetian Lagoon, was launched by VLPF in cooperation with GEES RECYCLING, a company based in Aviano specializing in the treatment of composite materials. Ghost Boats was conceived as a spin-off of the European H2020 MAELSTROM project, which VLPF promoted and partnered on. Now independent, the program is permanently managed and operated by VLPF and, starting in 2025, will also benefit from support under the INTERREG ADRION JOINABLE project (Joint Approach to Blue Circular Economy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region).
Ghost Boats are wrecks of vessels, typically made of fiberglass or fiberglass-coated wood, that are unregistered and abandoned along the shallows, waterways, and canals of the Venetian Lagoon. They are often submerged, stranded for extended periods, in hard-to-reach and rarely frequented locations. Ghost Boats also include end-of-life vessels found in large numbers in the storage areas of marinas and recreational boating associations in the region, causing significant economic and logistical challenges. Their presence in nature contributes to the spread of macro- and micro-contaminants derived from resins, paints, and metals. Additionally, by obstructing canals, they can pose navigation hazards depending on tidal conditions and detract from the scenic and ecological integrity of Venice and its lagoon.
The operation targeted the Punta San Giuliano area, located at the edge of the lagoon near Mestre, historically home to the San Giuliano Nautical Center. This area was the focus of efforts to identify and remove end-of-life boats. Assisted by two divers from the Acqua Club in Mestre and a barge, the initial plan was to recover a large sunken “Pilotina” vessel in the area, along with other boats, including canoes and kayaks.
However, environmental challenges delayed the recovery of the Pilotina and the associated documentary footage until spring. On a more successful note, six other boats—a canoe, an inflatable raft, two river kayaks, and a Laser dinghy—were retrieved in the following days.
This brings the total number of boats recovered by Venice Lagoon Plastic Free to 37, amounting to over 12 tons of material collected and recycled since the Ghost Boats program began.
