Port of Amsterdam began as a small fishing village in the 13th Century, when early inhabitants built dikes on both sides of the river to protect themselves from floods. Then in the late 13th Century, they built a dam between the dikes. The estuary of the Amstel north of the dam was used as a port from these early days.
Port of Amsterdam became the most important city in the country when the Spaniards conquered Antwerp in the 17th Century. Silting threatened the Port of Amsterdam's seaport, and in the early 1800s, King Willem I ordered the digging of the Noordhollands canal from Port of Amsterdam to Den Helder. As the size of ships increased, leading to construction of the North Sea Canal between 1865 and 1876 and bringing Port of Amsterdam to less than 20 miles from the North Sea.
The completion of the North Sea Canal in 1877 marked the beginning of the ports of Velsen and Ijmuiden where ships going to Port of Amsterdam created work. Many shipping-related industries sprang up there, and industry boomed after the end of the nineteenth century.
Port Commerce
The modern Port of Amsterdam is no longer an independent port. Inextricably linked to other ports in the North Sea Canal area, the combined ports are known as Amsterdam Seaports. The Port of Amsterdam underwent continuous improvement and expansion throughout the latter half of the 20th Century.
Volumes shipped in and out of the Port of Amsterdam have continually increased since 1980, and construction has continued to keep pace with the traffic. The port is administered by the City of Amsterdam through the Port of Amsterdam whose mission is to stimulate economic activity and employment in the entire Port of Amsterdam region.
Cruising and Travel
In 1999, the Central Station opened the Passenger Terminal Port of Amsterdam was opened to welcome passengers in a representative environment to keep pace with the growing tourism industry. The Passenger Terminal Port of Amsterdam maintains schedules of cruises and information about events on its website at www.ptamsterdam.nl.
