Amsterdam shipping traffic partly halted due to heat

Large ships can not use the so-called Oostroute through Amsterdam from Tuesday. As a result of the continuing and extreme heat, the metal of the bridges set out to such an extent that they are "locked" and can not open to let large ships through, a spokesperson for the municipality of Amsterdam said to ANP.

Cooling the bridges with water from the canals no longer helps. The 12 bridges will therefore remain closed until further notice.

The bridges involved are the Berlagebrug, Hogesluis, Torontobrug, Nieuwe Amstel bridge, Magere bridge, Walter Süskind bridge, Vas Diaz bridge, Hortus bridge, Scharrebiersluis bridge, Kortjeswants bridge, Langedoks bridge and the Oosterdoks bridge.

Large ships can still reach the IJ through Amsterdam using the alternate Westroute. The municipality is keeping a close eye on the bridges along this route and will announce if they too have to be locked down.