Plan to make Rome's river navigable "like in other European capitals"

An ambitious plan to "restore the navigability" of the river Tiber, using electric boats to ferry tourists to and from the centre of the capital, has been presented jointly by Italy's transport ministry and the city of Rome.

The proposal, which would require funding of €300 million from Italy's Recovery Fund to cover infrastructural works from reclamation to docking, requires approval from the EU.

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The plan is to make the Tevere navigable with electric boats from the river's mouth to the northern edge of the capital, including the entire urban stretch, according to local media reports.

The roughly 60-km route will be designed to carry the "nearly two million cruise passengers who arrive in Lazio every year," between the tourist port of Fiumicino and the heart of the capital.

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Describing it as a "unique itinerary" that would give a much-needed boost to tourism and culture, mayor Virginia Raggi said: "We want Rome, as is the case in other European capitals such as Paris, Vienna and Budapest, to have its river navigable by electric boats available to citizens and tourists."

The plan, which updates previous abandoned attempts over previous decades, would see the city "exploit the river to its full potential" says Raggi, who is seeking a second term as Rome mayor.