Amsterdam (Netherlands) has recorded annual visits from approximately 300,000 cruise passengers, contributing to a staggering 20 million total travelers drawn by the city’s storied canals and cultural landmarks.
Yet the influx of short-stay visitors arriving by sea has generated mounting concerns among residents about congestion, noise, pollution, and the erosion of daily life—a tide familiar to many European cities grappling with overtourism.
In response, city authorities have enacted measures addressing short-term rentals and party tourism, while seeking to reshape arrival patterns. By 2026, cruise ship visits to the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) will be capped at 100 vessels annually, a significant reduction from the current allowance of 190.
Furthermore, docked ships will be mandated to connect to shore power by 2027, a move expected to diminish particulate emissions, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, and ambient noise by utilizing the city’s power grid instead of running onboard engines.
Longer term, the passenger terminal is to be relocated away from the inner city by 2035, aligning with broader efforts to redistribute cruise traffic to ports such as Rotterdam and preserve Amsterdam’s urban fabric.
This strategy—endorsed by local officials—aims to forge a more sustainable tourism model in which visitor flows respect environmental limits and enhance livability.
Despite cruise arrivals comprising just 1% of total tourist numbers, the environmental impact of large ships is disproportionately large—more so than daily numbers alone suggest. Research dating from 2019 indicates that a single cruise ship can emit pollutants comparable to those of thousands of cars in port.
By enforcing shore power use starting in 2027, Amsterdam intends to curb emissions by an estimated 3 tonnes of particulate matter, 100 tonnes of nitrogen oxides, and 4.8 kilotonnes of CO₂ per year.
These measures are expected to reduce income from tourist levies and tourist spending—a sector that currently contributes some EUR 105 million annually.
However, city planners argue that losses in direct revenue are justified if offset by gains in public well-being, environmental performance, and budget sustainability.
While the cruise terminal’s relocation and reduced capacity may limit direct maritime tourism, Amsterdam’s robust public transport network ensures visitors can still access the city from outlying points. Officials regard this as a pivot rather than a retreat—a motion toward balancing the city’s cultural magnetism with the needs of its residents and environmental targets.
In sum, Amsterdam’s maritime policy is entering a new phase—curbing cruise ship volume, enforcing cleaner docking practices, and repositioning its maritime gateway. These actions reaffirm the city’s ambition to navigate toward sustainable tourism and maintain its character and quality of life.