AMSTERDAM — Amsterdam wants to relocate a cruise liner terminal from the heart of the historic capital city as part of its ongoing efforts to combat pollution and manage the influx of tourists in its narrow, cobbled streets.
The Dutch capital, like many other picturesque European cities such as Rome, Venice, and Paris, is grappling with the challenge of handling the surge in visitor numbers following the coronavirus pandemic shutdowns.
The Aldermen at Amsterdam’s municipality voted in favor of a motion on Thursday to relocate the terminal away from its current location near the central rail station.
“A clear decision has been made by the council that the cruise (terminal) should leave the city,” said Ilana Rooderkerk, leader of the centrist D66 party in Amsterdam, in an email to The Associated Press on Friday. “The municipal executive of Amsterdam is now going to work on how to implement it. In any case, as far as we are concerned, large ships no longer moor in the city center of Amsterdam.”
Dick de Graaff, director of Cruise Port Amsterdam, the company operating the terminal in the city center, stated that they have taken note of the vote and are waiting for the municipality’s next steps.
“There is no immediate closure of the terminal. The council’s call is to relocated the terminal, and we are waiting for a follow-up from the alderman regarding investigations,” he wrote in an email response.
De Graaff mentioned that the Amsterdam terminal is expecting 114 ships to dock there this year and 130 next year.
This vote represents the latest step in Amsterdam’s long-standing campaign to minimize the impact of tourism. Other measures include banning smoking weed in the narrow streets of the red light district and considering the relocation of many of the windows where scantily-clad prostitutes stand.
Earlier this year, Amsterdam launched a campaign titled “Stay Away” to address what it described as disruptive tourism.
“Visitors will still be welcome, but only if they behave properly and don’t cause disturbances. Otherwise, as a city, we will say: rather not, stay away,” stated Deputy Mayor Sofyan Mbarki.
For Rooderkerk, the ban on cruise ships is not only about managing tourism but also aligning with the city’s sustainability goals.
“The polluting cruise ships are not in line with the sustainable ambitions of our city,” she tweeted after the vote.
She also noted that the presence of towering cruise ships in Amsterdam hampers the construction of a second bridge over the waterway, which aims to connect the city with its rapidly expanding northern suburbs.
Cruise liners are not the only mode of transportation facing restrictions in Amsterdam. The national government has also announced plans to reduce the number of flights at Schiphol Airport, the bustling aviation hub serving the city.
Associated Press writer Mike Corder in The Hague contributed.