Heusden (Netherlands North Brabant)

Heusden (port locode NLHES) is a Meuse River/Maas River cruise port and town in the Netherlands's North Brabant province, with population around 45,000. The town is located between Waalwijk and s-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch).

The settlement was developed in the early 13th century around a fortification (castle) that was built and owned by the Hertogdom Brabant (Dutchy of Brabant / 1183-1794). After 1357, when the castle passed into Holland, were constructed star-shaped ramparts (defensive walls) and surrounding moats (broad ditches filled with water). The chateau fort was used as a munition depot until 1680 when a bolt of lightning struck it and over 27,000 kg of gunpowder and ammunition exploded. The castle was destroyed and never fully rebuilt. Today remain only the fort's outlines (restored in 1987).

As a cruise port, Heusden was included in the 2019 schedule of one of the world's largest river cruise companies - Uniworld.

The next table shows Uniworld's 7-day itinerary between homeports Amsterdam and Brussels.

In Heusden is the TeamCo Shipyard BV - located approximately 0,5 km from downtown. The TeamCo Shipyard specializes in the construction of mainly inland vessels (river cruise ships, LNG carriers, chemical tankers) and also small-sized seagoing vessels.

Within a 5-minute walk from the shipyard is highway A4 (Rijksweg 4) that links Heusden directly with Antwerp, Rotterdam, and also Duisburg (Germany).