Amsterdam to relocate city centre...

Ship calls to be almost halved from 2026

Amsterdam authorities aim to relocate the city's passenger cruise terminal by 2035, removing it from the city centre.

The number of cruise ships allowed to dock at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) will also be almost halved from 190 to a maximum of 100 from 2026, the city council announced on Thursday.

The council said that Rotterdam can take more than 40 ships that will no longer be allowed to dock in Amsterdam from 2026. Vessels will also be required to use shore power at the Amsterdam terminal by 2027.

Amsterdam City Council alderman Hester van Buren said: “The city council wants a liveable, clean and sustainable city. Sea cruise is a polluting form of tourism and contributes to crowds and emissions in the city. By limiting sea cruises, requiring shore power and aiming for the cruise terminal (PTA) to move from its current location in 2035, the council is responsibly implementing [its] proposal to stop sea cruises. With these balanced steps, the council tries to meet what is reasonable and acceptable to all parties.”

However, the council admitted that the restriction will reduce spending by sea cruise passengers and shipping companies in the city, “mainly due to less spending by tourists in, for example, museums, catering, shops and excursions, but also due to less fuel consumption”.

A spokesperson for cruise line body Clia said the announcement was “a great example of the cruise industry’s long-standing partnership with the Port of Amsterdam and the direct outcome of our collaborative discussions on the relocation of the passenger terminal outside the city centre, which started back in 2016".

The Clia spokesperson added: "Amsterdam is and will remain a popular cruise destination, and cruise tourism will continue delivering important economic benefits to the city to the tune of around €105 million annually. That economic contribution is particularly significant when you consider that, of the more than 21 million visitors to Amsterdam each year, only around 1% arrive by cruise ship.”

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