The city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands is banning cruise ships from its port. According to city officials, cruise ships entering its port cause pollution and are not in line with Amsterdam’s sustainable goals. Currently, the port sees around 300,000 cruise ship passengers each year, entering the city via the port.

Amsterdam bans cruise ships from entering its port

When thinking of boats and Amsterdam, most people would imagine the barges that ply the city’s canals. However, there are larger boats causing problems in the city. Each year, around 300,000 cruise ship passengers disembark at Amsterdam’s port to explore the city.

In a plan that has been in the works since 2016, the city is to ban cruise ships entering its port in order to reduce carbon emissions. According to officials, the ships cause pollution and are not in line with the city’s sustainable goals.

The plan was finally approved by local government officials by vote on Thursday this week. Amsterdam councilor Illana Rooderkerk said:

The polluting cruise ships don’t merge with the sustainable goals of our city.

It’s time to take action, the climate won’t wait.

Rooderkerk’s party, the liberal D66, governs Amsterdam in a coalition with the environmentalist GroenLinks party and the social democrats, PvdA. Her party noted that the popular Italian city of Venice banned cruise ships from its lagoon in 2021. However, if the ships are banned from the port, will passengers no longer enjoy a shore excursion to the city? Fortunately, the city will offer a way.

Cruise terminal to move outside the city

The IJ Terminal, located on the waterfront near Amsterdam’s central train station, will be moving outside the city. DW quotes Dick de Graaff, director of Cruise Port Amsterdam which operates the terminal, as saying his company has noted the vote and is awaiting the city officials’ next move, saying:

There is no immediate closing of the terminal. The council’s call is to relocate the terminal and we await a follow-up from the alderman on investigations.

In the meantime, De Graaff said the cruise ship terminal expects 114 ships to enter this year and 130 ships in 2024. Once the ban is firmly in place, arrangements will be made to transport passengers from the new terminal into the city.

Amsterdam cracks down on rowdy tourists

This latest move comes after Amsterdam launched the “Stay Away” campaign, aimed at rowdy tourists upsetting and disturbing the city’s residents. The move was particularly aimed at young British men having drunken and noisy nights out in the city.

Moreover, Amsterdam has clamped down on the use of cannabis in the city, where “coffeeshops” are a popular attraction. It further plans to overhaul the equally popular Red Light District, where sex workers can be seen in the windows.

Meanwhile, the city welcomes around 20 million tourists each year, including the aforementioned 300,000 cruise ship passengers.