CLIA has issued a statement saying that “cruise ships have not been banned from Amsterdam”, following media reports regarding the city’s decision to close the central cruise terminal.

When the news broke last week, it was reported that local politicians were keen to prevent ships entering the heart of the city due to environmental concerns.

However, CLIA has said that discussions have been underway since 2016 to relocate the terminal to outside the city centre, while also highlighting the economic contribution of cruise to the area.

Cruise ‘contributes’ to Amsterdam economy

In a statement, the association 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.

“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 per cent arrive by cruise ship, with cruise tourism contributing around 105 million Euros to the city annually.”