'A polluting form of tourism': Amsterdam slashes cruise ship traffic in half

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Amsterdam has announced it will slowly phase out cruise ships and ultimately shutter its cruise terminal as the popular destination cracks down on overtourism.

Starting in 2026, the city’s Passengers Terminal Amsterdam will cap cruise ships to 100 a year. Currently, the maximum is 190. The terminal will reduce to just one berth by the following year and require cruise ships to use shore power.

By 2035, Amsterdam's terminal – a brief 15-minute walk to the city center – will close.

“The city council wants a liveable, clean and sustainable city,” Amsterdam Deputy Mayor Alderman Hester van Buren said in a statement. “Sea cruise is a polluting form of tourism and contributes to crowds and emissions in the city.”

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When cruise ships use shore power, they can switch off their own machinery, which cuts down on emissions and noise pollution. About 35% of cruise ships are equipped with shore power connections, according to the Cruise Lines International Association.

The proposed measures, a result of collaborative discussions between stakeholders from the industry, city, region, and national government, reflect a shared commitment to the city's future.

In the announcement, the Dutch city acknowledges the potential economic consequences from fewer tourists spending money in shops or museums and “less tourist tax collected.” The next budget memorandum is set to include the financial consequences of the cruise ship ban.

The city also is considering possible relocation of the passengers terminal to Coenhaven, a harbor in northwest Amsterdam. This move could bring new opportunities and a breath of fresh air to the area.

“Based on this feasibility study, the council will decide in consultation with the government, the Port Authority, and the province of North Holland whether relocation is feasible by 2035,” the announcement said.

“The announcement is a great example of the cruise industry’s long-standing partnership with the Port of Amsterdam and the direct outcome of our collaborative discussions on the relocation of the passenger terminal outside the city centre, which started back in 2016,” a spokesperson for the international cruise lines association told USA TODAY.

“Amsterdam is and will remain a popular cruise destination, and cruise tourism will continue delivering important economic benefits to the city,” the spokesperson said, adding that cruise tourists bring about $105 million a year and make up 1% of the more than 21 million visitors a year to the city.

The news in Amsterdam coincides with Seattle’s new order requiring all cruise ships to use shore power by 2027 to push its own cruise industry to be more sustainable.

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at kwong@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Amsterdam to halve number of cruise ships allowed to reduce crowds