Port of Amsterdam
Encyclopedia
The Port of Amsterdam is a seaport in Amsterdam
, the Netherlands
. The port is located on the bank of a bay named IJ
and the North Sea Canal
, with which it is connected to the North Sea
. The port was first used in the 13th century and was one of the main ports of the Dutch East India Company
in the 17th century. Today, the Port of Amsterdam is the second largest port in the Netherlands, the largest being the Port of Rotterdam
. In 2008, the Port of Amsterdam had a cargo
throughput of 75.8 million tons, most of which is was bulk cargo
.
The first port activities in Amsterdam date back to the 13th century. The port was first mentioned in the year 1342, when the city of Amsterdam received city rights.
In the Dutch Golden Age
the port was one of the main harbours of the Dutch East India Company
.
The North Holland Canal
, that connects Amsterdam to Den Helder
was dug between 1819 and 1824. The North Sea Canal
, that connects Amsterdam to IJmuiden, was dug between 1865 and 1876.
and the IJ
. The port is connected to the North Sea
through the North Sea Canal, to Den Helder
through the North Holland Canal, to the Markermeer
through the IJ and the IJmeer
, and to the Rhine through the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal
.
In total, the port comprises 600 ha
(1,500 acre
s) of waterways and 1,900 ha (4,700 acres) of land area, including port estates, quays, roads, railway tracks, ditches, and green space.
The port comprises several harbour areas, which are part of the boroughs (Dutch: stadsdelen
) Westpoort
, Westerpark, Centrum
, and Zeeburg
. From west to east the areas are:
throughput, the Port of Amsterdam is the second largest port of the Netherlands, after Port of Rotterdam
.
In 2008, 6,029 sea vessels visited the Port of Amsterdam with a cargo throughput of 75.8 million tons, most of which is was bulk cargo
. That same year, the total container volume was 435,129 TEU
. Both the number of vessels, and the bulk cargo and container throughput increase compared to 2007.
In 2008, 117 sea cruise ship
s called at the port with a total of 226,000 passengers. Also 998 river cruise ships with 170,000 passengers visited Amsterdam's port. The number of sea cruises and their passengers increased significantly with 50% compared to 2007, whereas the river cruise traffic declined slightly.
In 2008, the total revenue
was €
125.3 million and the net income
€
45.0 million. This is a minor decrease compared to the revenue and income in 2007.
In 2008, the port itself had 361 employees, but the number of indirect employees is circa 55,000. On 7 July 2009, Mrs. Dertje Meijer was appointed as the director of the port by the government of Amsterdam.
, Ghana
Port of Beijing
, China
Port of Cape Town
, South Africa
Port of Halifax
, Canada
Port of San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire
Port of Tianjin
, China
Port of Xiamen
, China
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. The port is located on the bank of a bay named IJ
IJ (bay)
The IJ is a river, formerly a bay, in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is known for being Amsterdam's waterfront. The name derives from the generic Germanic term for "water" and is similar to other Aa/Ee names for bodies of water. In Dutch, the name consists of the digraph ij, which is...
and the North Sea Canal
North Sea Canal
The North Sea Canal is a Dutch ship canal from Amsterdam to the North Sea at IJmuiden, constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam...
, with which it is connected to the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
. The port was first used in the 13th century and was one of the main ports of the Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
in the 17th century. Today, the Port of Amsterdam is the second largest port in the Netherlands, the largest being the Port of Rotterdam
Port of Rotterdam
The Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe, located in the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. From 1962 until 2004 it was the world's busiest port, now overtaken by first Shanghai and then Singapore...
. In 2008, the Port of Amsterdam had a cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
throughput of 75.8 million tons, most of which is was bulk cargo
Bulk cargo
Bulk cargo is commodity cargo that is transported unpackaged in large quantities. This cargo is usually dropped or poured, with a spout or shovel bucket, as a liquid or as a mass of relatively small solids , into a bulk carrier ship's hold, railroad car, or tanker truck/trailer/semi-trailer body...
.
History
In the Dutch Golden Age
Dutch Golden Age
The Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. The first half is characterised by the Eighty Years' War till 1648...
the port was one of the main harbours of the Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
.
The North Holland Canal
Noordhollandsch Kanaal
The Groot Noordhollandsch Kanaal , now known simply as Noordhollandsch Kanaal, is a canal in the northwest Netherlands...
, that connects Amsterdam to Den Helder
Den Helder
Den Helder is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula...
was dug between 1819 and 1824. The North Sea Canal
North Sea Canal
The North Sea Canal is a Dutch ship canal from Amsterdam to the North Sea at IJmuiden, constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam...
, that connects Amsterdam to IJmuiden, was dug between 1865 and 1876.
Geography
The Port of Amsterdam is located on the banks of the North Sea CanalNorth Sea Canal
The North Sea Canal is a Dutch ship canal from Amsterdam to the North Sea at IJmuiden, constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam...
and the IJ
IJ (bay)
The IJ is a river, formerly a bay, in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is known for being Amsterdam's waterfront. The name derives from the generic Germanic term for "water" and is similar to other Aa/Ee names for bodies of water. In Dutch, the name consists of the digraph ij, which is...
. The port is connected to the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
through the North Sea Canal, to Den Helder
Den Helder
Den Helder is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula...
through the North Holland Canal, to the Markermeer
Markermeer
The Markermeer is a lake in the central Netherlands in between North Holland, Flevoland and its larger sibling, the IJsselmeer. A shallow lake at some 3 to 5 m in depth, it is named after the small former island, now peninsula, of Marken that lies within it...
through the IJ and the IJmeer
IJmeer
The IJmeer is a bordering lake in the Netherlands. It lies between the polder De Nes , Pampushaven, Hollandse Brug and the mouth of the IJ in IJburg, straddling the provinces of North Holland and Flevoland. It is an important habitat for birds such as the Tufted Duck and Scaup...
, and to the Rhine through the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal
Amsterdam-Rhine Canal
The Amsterdam–Rhine Canal or Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal is a canal in the Netherlands that was built to connect the port city of Amsterdam to the main shipping artery of the Rhine...
.
In total, the port comprises 600 ha
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
(1,500 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s) of waterways and 1,900 ha (4,700 acres) of land area, including port estates, quays, roads, railway tracks, ditches, and green space.
The port comprises several harbour areas, which are part of the boroughs (Dutch: stadsdelen
Stadsdeel
A stadsdeel is the name used for city districts in some of the larger municipalities of the Netherlands.Amsterdam calls 7 of its 8 deelgemeenten stadsdeel...
) Westpoort
Westpoort
The Westpoort is the main harbour and industrial area of the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands and is located in the north-western part of the city. It is divided in industrial areas Teleport, Sloterdijk areas I, II and II, De Heining and the harbour area...
, Westerpark, Centrum
Amsterdam-Centrum
Stadsdeel Centrum is a deelgemeente of the municipality of Amsterdam, North-Holland, the Netherlands. This stadsdeel was founded in 2002. Prior to 2002 it was managed by the local government of Amsterdam...
, and Zeeburg
Zeeburg
Zeeburg is one of the boroughs of Amsterdam. It has 52,701 residents and is 19.31 km². The construction of new islands to the east called IJburg makes it the most rapidly growing borough of Amsterdam.-History:...
. From west to east the areas are:
- Afrika Harbour (Dutch: Afrikahaven)
- Amerika Harbour (Dutch: Amerikahaven)
- West Harbour (Dutch: Westhaven)
- Jan van Riebeeck Harbour (Dutch: Jan van Riebeeckhaven)
- Petroleum Harbour (Dutch: Petroleumhaven)
- Coen Harbour (Dutch: Coenhaven)
- Mercurius Harbour (Dutch: Mercuriushaven)
- Hout Harbour (Dutch: Houthaven)
- De Ruijter Quay (Dutch: De Ruijterkade)
- Eastern Trade Quay (Dutch: Oostelijke Handelskade)
- Eastern Harbour Area (Dutch: Oostelijk Havengebied)
Business operations
In terms of cargoCargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
throughput, the Port of Amsterdam is the second largest port of the Netherlands, after Port of Rotterdam
Port of Rotterdam
The Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe, located in the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. From 1962 until 2004 it was the world's busiest port, now overtaken by first Shanghai and then Singapore...
.
In 2008, 6,029 sea vessels visited the Port of Amsterdam with a cargo throughput of 75.8 million tons, most of which is was bulk cargo
Bulk cargo
Bulk cargo is commodity cargo that is transported unpackaged in large quantities. This cargo is usually dropped or poured, with a spout or shovel bucket, as a liquid or as a mass of relatively small solids , into a bulk carrier ship's hold, railroad car, or tanker truck/trailer/semi-trailer body...
. That same year, the total container volume was 435,129 TEU
Twenty-foot equivalent unit
The twenty-foot equivalent unit is an inexact unit of cargo capacity often used to describe the capacity of container ships and container terminals...
. Both the number of vessels, and the bulk cargo and container throughput increase compared to 2007.
In 2008, 117 sea cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
s called at the port with a total of 226,000 passengers. Also 998 river cruise ships with 170,000 passengers visited Amsterdam's port. The number of sea cruises and their passengers increased significantly with 50% compared to 2007, whereas the river cruise traffic declined slightly.
In 2008, the total revenue
Revenue
In business, revenue is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. In many countries, such as the United Kingdom, revenue is referred to as turnover....
was €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
125.3 million and the net income
Net income
Net income is the residual income of a firm after adding total revenue and gains and subtracting all expenses and losses for the reporting period. Net income can be distributed among holders of common stock as a dividend or held by the firm as an addition to retained earnings...
€
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
45.0 million. This is a minor decrease compared to the revenue and income in 2007.
In 2008, the port itself had 361 employees, but the number of indirect employees is circa 55,000. On 7 July 2009, Mrs. Dertje Meijer was appointed as the director of the port by the government of Amsterdam.
International cooperation
The Port of Amsterdam has a connection with the ports of the following cities: Port of AccraAccra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
Port of Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
Port of Cape Town
Port of Cape Town
The Port of Cape Town is the port of the city of Cape Town, South Africa. It is situated in Table Bay.Because of its position along one of the world's busiest trade routes it is one of the busiest ports in South Africa, handling the largest amount of fresh fruit and second only to Durban as a...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
Port of Halifax
Halifax Port Authority
The Halifax Port Authority is a port authority operating as a not-for-profit Crown corporation of the Government of Canada. HPA has responsibility for all federally-owned waterfront properties on Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.The HPA was created on March 1, 1999...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Port of San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
Port of Tianjin
Port of Tianjin
The Port of Tianjin ,formerly known as the Port of Tanggu, is the largest port in Northern China and the main maritime gateway to Beijing. It is located on the western shore of the Bohai Bay, centered on the estuary of the Haihe River, 170 km south east of Beijing and 60 km east of...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
Port of Xiamen
Port of Xiamen
The Port of Xiamen is an important deep water port located in the mouth of the Jiulongjiang River on the southern coastline of Fujian province in the People's Republic of China . It is one of the trunk line ports in the Asia-Pacific region. It is ranked the 8th largest container port in the PRC,...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
External links
- Port of Amsterdam, English website Haven Amsterdam, Dutch website 阿姆斯特丹港上海代表处, Chinese website