Amsterdam wants to ban sea cruise ships by 2035, instead of moving passenger terminal

Amsterdam's coalition government, which has long looked for alternatives to massive cruise ships docking in the city, now identified its favored option is to do away with that segment of maritime traffic altogether. The mayor and aldermen leading city politics said the termination of sea cruise traffic by 2035 would be ideal, effectively abandoning plans for an alternative location for the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, which is situated just east of the capital's main rail and bus hub.

The alternative scenario involved relocating the cruise terminal from the Veemkade near Central Station to the Coenhaven in Amsterdam’s Western Harbor Area. Phasing out sea cruises came from a desire to improve air quality and sustainability in the city center, and has been a component of the broader package of measures from the city's executive branch aimed at curbing overtourism.

Halting sea cruises would cost Amsterdam an estimated 46 million euros in revenue over the next 30 years, said Alderman Hester van Buren, whose portfolio includes the city's port policy. She claimed the shortfall could be recovered by redeveloping the Veemkade and repurposing the mooring location in the Coenhaven.

On the other hand, moving the cruise terminal will cost 85 million euros, and there is no guarantee the investment will be recovered, she claimed. The proposal will now be further developed and handed off to the next coalition government, when it takes office following the March local elections. They will make a final decision about the plan before putting it to City Council.

Phasing out sea cruises would deliver “clear sustainability and environmental gains” for Amsterdam, Van Buren said. She noted that cruise ships generate significant carbon dioxide emissions, particulate matter, and nitrogen emissions. She claimed the ships' presence would also obstruct plans for a western bridge over the IJ River, intended to be a key link between the NDSM area and the planned Haven-Stad neighborhood.

The push to restrict sea cruises began in 2023, when the City Council approved a D66 motion urging the exclusion of cruise ships and the relocation of the terminal. Following that decision, the city has already cut the number of sea cruise arrivals in half, from 190 to no more than 100 annually. River cruise vessels will continue to be permitted at the Veemkade.

Amsterdam's current coalition is formed by Labour party PvdA, Green party GroenLinks, and centrist party D66. Van Buren is a PvdA politician. Her announcement won cheers from the Amsterdam branch of D66, which said it welcomed the decision taken by the city's executive branch.

Local party leader Rob Hofland said it marks a major breakthrough. "Years after our proposal, we are finally going to free Amsterdam from these floating apartment blocks. They pollute our air, are bad for the climate, bring hordes of tourists into our city, and block a bridge over the IJ. The alderman has shown that relocating the cruise ship terminal within Amsterdam is not possible. That leaves only one option: out of the city. In our view, the right choice.”