Ship chandlers & ship supply at Amsterdam NLAMS

Port of Amsterdam handled 62.1 million tonnes in 2025, and the whole North Sea Canal Area 78.8 million. Oil products were 30.3 million tonnes, other dry bulk 12.0, other wet bulk 6.5, agribulk 6.1 and coal 5.0. Amsterdam counted 4,662 seagoing vessel calls (+3.0%) and 32,336 inland vessel calls.^[1]

—Authority: the Harbour Master Division of Port of Amsterdam acts for the State Harbour Master, who also directs Central Nautical Management (CNB) for the North Sea Canal Area under a mandate from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.^[2,3]

—Zeesluis IJmuiden: 500 m lockage length, 70 m between the walls and a guaranteed sill depth of NAP −17.25 m. Without exemption it takes container ships up to 398 m × 56.6 m × 13.75 m (salt water), bulk carriers and tankers up to 330 m × 57 m × 13.75 m and cruise ships up to 362 m × 47 m × 9.30 m; larger ships apply through the Port Office, and the canal transit needs its own exemption.^[3]

—Lock rules: ships of 300 m LOA or 42 m beam and over take two pilots; ships over 175 m need a forward and an aft tug; locking stops above 5 Beaufort transverse wind.^[3]

—Cruise: 132 sea-cruise calls at Amsterdam and IJmuiden in 2025 and 2,278 river-cruise calls. Since April 2025 sea cruise ships can connect to the 16.5 MW shore power at the Veemkade cruise terminal, and the port says shore power becomes obligatory from 2027.^[1,4]

—Every ship visit is notified in the Portbase PCS at least 24 hours before arrival — vessel notification, crew and passengers, dangerous goods, waste disposal and the harbour dues statement. Security (ISPS) information is due before arrival and departure and can go with the same notifications. New agents register with Port of Amsterdam first.^[5,6,7]

—VTS (since 30 September 2025): inbound ships report on VHF 7 (IJmuiden Approaches) as soon as contact is possible, then work Sector IJmuiden VHF 61, North Sea Canal VHF 03, Westhaven VHF 04, Stad VHF 05 and Schellingwoude VHF 60; IJmuiden Locks VHF 22, departures and shifts VHF 68.^[8]

—Compulsory pilotage covers the approach (5 nm off the IJmuiden south pier), the Outer Harbour, the North Sea Canal, side canals A and G and the IJ, as amended from 1 January 2024. Pilotage Exemption Certificates are issued by length band from over 75 m; ships built for dangerous bulk cargo cannot get one, and none is valid on the canal for ships of 180 m or 10 m draught and over.^[9,10]

—Pilots board at 52°28.90′N 004°23.5′E, at least 3 nm west of the piers under 8 m draught rising to 8 nm at 13.10–14.10 m; deep-draught ships (over 14.10 m to 17.80 m) board in the IJ Channel at 52°29.4′N 003°47.4′E.^[11]

—Anchorages off IJmuiden: area 6 for ships over 14.10 m to 17.80 m draught, area 7 for incoming ships up to 14.10 m and area 8 for outgoing ships.^[11]

—Ship-to-ship bunkering in the North Sea Canal Area needs a bunker permit, applied for early through the Port Office, at the locations on the port’s bunker chart; IAPH checklists apply for LNG and methanol.^[12]

—LNG: an LNG facility in the Amerikahaven takes seagoing ships up to 185 m. In 2025 the port saw its first ship-to-ship methanol bunkering — 500 t of green methanol in the Amerikahaven.^[12,1]

—Indirect waste fee, paid on every call (from 1 April 2026, up 6%): for most seagoing ships €265 + €0.0424 per GT up to 5,000 GT, €318 + €0.0318 per GT from 5,000 to 25,000 GT, and €1,113 at 25,000 GT and over, plus €40 administration. Sea cruise ships pay more (up to €3,763).^[13,14]

—What it covers: Annex V garbage is fully reimbursed for up to two deliveries within 30 days of first berthing; Annex I is reimbursed up to €220 per call plus €35/m³ (capped at the IOPP sludge and bilge capacity); sewage (Annex IV) and Annex VI waste are charged directly.^[13]

—Scrubbers: seagoing ships at berth in Amsterdam may not use an open-loop scrubber, or a hybrid in open-loop mode, while burning fuel above 0.1% sulphur — in force since 1 January 2025. The Ballast Water Convention applies to every ship carrying ballast water.^[15,7]

—Harbour dues discounts in 2026: 6% for Green Award ships and an ESI reward for scores of 25 or more, applied automatically through the dues declaration.^[16]

—Provisions, technical stores, spares and deliveries: post a requirement and suppliers serving Amsterdam answer with sealed bids; suppliers never see the vessel’s name until award. If you supply ships in the North Sea Canal Area, activate Amsterdam. Calling the Maas instead? See the Rotterdam guide.