Cruise industry body Clia has rebutted reports suggesting that passenger ships face a ban in Amsterdam with the city council calling for the closure of its central cruise port.
The council has stated that cruise ships are not in line with its sustainable ambitions and wants to see the closure of the central cruise terminal near the city’s main railway station.
Ships have been booked to make calls to the port on the River IJ until July 2025.
A spokesperson for Amsterdam Cruise Port told Travel Weekly last week: “We have taken note of the council’s call that they do not see any room for sea cruises in the city of the future at the current location.
“There is no administrative response or proposal yet on how to address this call.
“There is certainly not an immediate closure of the terminal. We continue our business as usual.”
Clia has now issued a response.
A spokesperson said: “We are aware of the media reports about the future of cruise in Amsterdam.
“As the port has publicly stated, cruise ships have not been banned from Amsterdam.
“Furthermore, the port and Passenger Terminal Amsterdam have already pledged to undertake investments worth millions of euros in port infrastructure and shoreside electricity for the long-term”
However, Clia added: “There have been discussions on its relocation outside the city centre which started back in 2016 and which are still ongoing.
“We are working with the authorities to accommodate the views expressed by council members while continuing to support the communities that benefit from cruise tourism.
“Of the more than 21 million visitors that Amsterdam receives each year, around 1% arrive by cruise ship, with cruise tourism contributing around €105 million to the city annually.”