The port of Amsterdam and the smaller subsidiary ports in the North Sea Canal area have a long history of birth, decline and redevelopment to what is nowadays known as the Port of Amsterdam or Amsterdam Seaports. Of all the ports in the North Sea Canal area, Amsterdam is the oldest as the ports of Velsen, IJmuiden, Beverwijk and Zaanstad did not flourish until more recent times. Each has its own special character, specialisation and competences.

From a small harbour to an international logistics centre

As early as medieval times, the Damrak, the estuary of the Amstel north of the Dam, was in use as a port. This remained until the sixteenth century. Expansions followed each other swiftly, developing Amsterdam into the modern port it is today. Over that time the character of the port changed drastically. It is now an efficient international logistics centre, where large scale storage and transhipment of goods goes hand in hand with advanced industrial processing.

Port region North Sea Canal - Amsterdam Seaports

Today, the port of Amsterdam is no longer an independent port. It is inextricably linked to the other ports in the North Sea Canal area - one of the reasons people talk of the port region when speaking of the North Sea Canal area. The ports present themselves as Amsterdam Seaports and there are many developments taking place in the region. There are plans for the construction of a seaport in the Wijkermeer polder close to the city and the opening of the third port of IJmuiden is planned for 2004. 

Read more on the history of the Port of Amsterdam and the port region.