Amsterdam to phase out cruise ships and force use of onshore power

Amsterdam – Amsterdam will slash the number of cruise ships permitted to moor in its harbour by almost half

before banning them from docking

there entirely about a decade from now.

Currently, 190 ships dock annually at its passenger terminal, located close to the city’s heart. Following an announcement from Amsterdam City Hall last week, that number will drop to a maximum of 100 in 2026.

The following year, all ships will be required to use onshore power from the city’s grid rather than their more-polluting onboard generators. An outright ban within the city will start in 2035, following the opening of an out-of-town terminal now under construction 25.7km away.

“The city council wants a liveable, clean and sustainable city,” Deputy Mayor Hester van Buren said in a statement. “Sea cruises are a polluting form of tourism and contribute to crowds and emissions in the city.” 

The decision follows a broader move to reduce the damage from overtourism in the Dutch capital. The number of day visitors rose by 2.5 million to 15.1 million annually between 2019 and 2023, while overnight stays reached 22.1 million in 2023, despite an attempted cap at 20 million in 2021.

The rise has created pressures in the metro area of some 1.18 million, burdening transit infrastructure and the narrow street plan. It has also stoked resentment in locals who feel the boom is harming access to, and enjoyment of, their hometown.

While most visitors arrive by other means, cruise ships are criticised for causing pollution spikes in the city core.

Each vessel creates pollution equal to 31,000 trucks doing the round of the city’s beltway, according to figures cited by an Amsterdam representative of centrist party D66. They also bring heavy foot traffic that yields small gains to local businesses when their clients eat and sleep on board.

In 2021, Venice banished cruise ships from the city’s lagoon, while caps have also been introduced in Barcelona, Dublin, Dubrovnik, Croatia and Santorini, Greece.

With officials increasingly wary of its reputation as a party destination, Amsterdam has adopted broader measures to curb tourism. The city has placed limits on short-stay apartments, banned new hotel construction and adopted bylaws and launched publicity campaigns to curb public antisocial behaviour.

“We understand that there might be some adverse effects,” a city spokesperson said in a statement to Bloomberg CityLab.

“However, we also know that visitor numbers continue to rise both worldwide and in Amsterdam, so we cannot afford to sit back and wait for things to get worse. Measures are being taken in all kinds of areas to keep the city liveable.”

The plan has created some controversy and logistical issues. Van Buren, whose department will be responsible for implementing the decision, opposed the proposal when it was raised in 2023.

Before the new out-of-town terminal is completed, it will require the re-routing of 40 ships to the much larger, deeper port at Rotterdam 88km away, a move that will create extra congestion and pollution as visitors must travel by bus to the capital.

There will also be a drop in revenue to the city of Amsterdam, estimated at between €46 million (S$67 million) and €103 million. While the spokesperson acknowledged the move was a “drastic measure,” changes are necessary.

“If we don’t do this now, we will become less attractive as a city for people and companies. And that will cost more money in the long run.” Bloomberg