The centre of the city of Amsterdam will be an emission-free zone for pleasure and recreational vessels from April 1, 2025 as the city moves to provide an environment with cleaner air, less CO2 and less noise.

Published 1 month ago

Source:  City of Amsterdam

Amsterdam Emission-Free Zone

From 1 April 2025, the city centre area will become a zero-emission zone for pleasure boats, which means silent and clean sailing on electricity, hydrogen or muscle power.

The zero-emission zone applies to pleasure boats. These are vessels used for non -commercial recreation (so not sailing houseboats). From 1 April 2025, only vessels with electric, hydrogen or manual propulsion will be allowed to enter the zone. Hybrid boats are welcome, as long as they are running with zero emission.

The entire central area of Amsterdam falls under the zero-emission zone. That means the area within and including the Singelgracht.

Vignette* Transitional Arrangements

If you already have a vignette purchased before 1 April 2025, then you may continue for a while. This is because there is a transitional arrangement for existing pleasure boats that have purchased a vignette before the effective date of the zero-emission zone:

• Inland port dues vignette (BHG): vessels with a valid BHG vignette, purchased before 1 April 2025, may continue to sail until 1 January 2030, subject to annual payment of the inland port dues.
• Transit vignette: for vessels with a transit vignette purchased before 1 April 2025, the transitional arrangement will apply until 1 January 2028 at the latest. The transitional arrangement is equal to the duration of the vignette, so, for example, until 31 December 2027 for a vignette purchased on 1 March 2025.
• No Vignette?  If you do you not have a vignette yet then make sure you purchase it before 1 April. Only then will you be eligible for the transitional arrangements. This also applies to vessels changing hands. The new owner must purchase a new vignette before 1 April, 2025.

Emission-free zone

The emission-free zone is the central area of Amsterdam, including the Singelgracht. On the IJ (IJsselmeer – formerly called the Zuiderzee) you can still sail as you are used to. The following through sailing routes are outside the emission-free zone and you can also sail there if your boat is not emission-free:

• Cost-pldigenvaart route: Westerkanaal – Singelgracht – Kattensloot – Kostverlorenvaart – Schinkel – Nieuwe Meer.
• Amstelroute: Oosterdok – Schippersgracht – Nieuwe Herengracht – Amstel of the Western Islands.
• The Eastern Islands and the New Vaart.
• The part in the western Singelgracht from Kattensloot to Hugo de Grootgracht.

What about the Standing Mast Route?

The Standing Mast Route is an important transit route for sailors, which sail to the south via the city center of Amsterdam from the IJsselmeer region, or vice versa. The new emission-free zone crosses the Standing Mast Route in some places, especially in the city centre. This means in concrete terms:

• The Kostverlorenvaart route (part of the Standing Mast Route) is provisionally excluded from the emission-free zone.
• Until 1 January 2028 you can continue sailing with an existing Passover vignette (purchased before 1 April 2025), even if your boat is not emission-free.
• From 2030, as it stands, you will only be allowed to sail emission-free through the center via the Standing Mast Route.

*About the Vignette

A Vignette is a credit card type device which boats must purchase if they are passing through Amsterdam.  It was introduced to reduce pollution and prevent overcrowding on the waterways of Amsterdam .

The Cruising Association’s European Inland Waterways Section (EIWS) has a 13-page guidance note.  See below.

• Cruising Association Guidance on Amsterdam Vignette www.theca.org.uk/news/eiw/amsterdam-vignette.

More information is available on the City of Amsterdam website, but the online application can only be completed in Dutch.

• Boating Through Amsterdam

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Related News:

• The Emission-Free Zone in Amsterdam (Zeilen)

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Related Reports:

• Useful Information on the Inland Waterways of Europe

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Useful Links:

• Through the Netherlands via the Standing Mast Route
• Free Guidance Notes on the Standing Mast Route

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