The new sea lock in IJmuiden will be built at an accelerated pace. This was decided today by central government, the province of North Holland and the municipality of Amsterdam. The lock will allow large, modern sea-going vessels to reach the heart of Amsterdam. Construction will start in 2016. By October 2013, the lock should be ready for use.
The construction of the new sea lock is necessary because the new generation of ships cannot currently reach the Amsterdam port. Shipping companies are opting for more volume per ship due to cost efficiency. As a result, ships are becoming larger and heavier. Therefore, the old 1929 Noordersluis must be replaced. The new sea lock at IJmuiden will be 500 metres long, at least 65 metres wide and 18 metres deep. Waiting times for the lock will be shorter because access will be independent of tides. This will make the ports behind it in Velsen, Beverwijk, Zaanstad and Amsterdam accessible 24 hours a day.
The new sea lock will be financed by central government, the province and the municipality of Amsterdam. More than 750 million euros will be made available for the project.
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