AMSTERDAM — Amsterdam wants to relocate a cruise liner terminal to alleviate pollution and reduce congestion caused by tourists in its historic city center.
The city is among several picturesque European destinations facing challenges in managing the influx of visitors, particularly following the reopening after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amsterdam’s municipality aldermen voted in favor of a motion to move the terminal away from its current location near the central rail station.
Ilana Rooderkerk, leader of the centrist D66 party in Amsterdam, stated: “A clear decision has been made by the council that the cruise (terminal) should leave the city. 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.”
The director of Cruise Port Amsterdam, Dick de Graaff, acknowledged the vote and is awaiting further instructions from the municipality.
De Graaff clarified that the terminal will not be closed immediately and the request is to relocate it, while they await guidance from the alderman’s office for further investigations.
The Amsterdam terminal is expected to receive 114 ships this year and 130 ships next year.
This vote represents another effort in Amsterdam’s ongoing campaign to mitigate the impact of tourism, which includes prohibiting smoking weed in the red light district and considering the relocation of windows utilized by scantily-clad prostitutes.
Earlier this year, the city launched a campaign called “Stay Away” to combat nuisance tourism.
Deputy Mayor Sofyan Mbarki stated, “Visitors will remain welcome, but not if they misbehave and cause nuisance. In that case we as a city will say: rather not, stay away.”
For Rooderkerk, banning cruise ships aligns with the city’s sustainability goals. She tweeted, “The polluting cruise does not match the sustainable ambitions of our city.”
Additionally, the presence of large cruise ships impedes the construction of a second bridge connecting the city with its rapidly expanding northern suburbs.
Cruise liners are not the only mode of transport facing restrictions in Amsterdam. The national government plans to reduce flights at Schiphol Airport, the city’s busiest aviation hub.
Associated Press writer Mike Corder in The Hague contributed.