Ijmuiden has 10 confirmed calls and 25 on option for 2011. Of the latter, 17 are pending the widening of the entrace to the Felison Terminal berth number 3 in the IJmond harbour, explains Ron Maes, general manager KVSA logistics and Felison Terminal. Possible turnarounds include Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and MSC Cruises. There will also be three overnight calls.
Berth 3 has a depth of 10m at even tide and a length of 295m. However the harbour’s entrance is partly blocked by an underwater obstruction - part of an old turning basin - which limits the use of the berth to receiving vessels up to 265m in length.
A permit to dredge has now been received from the Ministry of Water Ways although negotiations are taking place as to the exact boundaries of the dredging area. These are expected to be finalised in the coming months, explains Maes, and it is expected that the work will be completed well before the 2011 season.
This year the port is expecting 11 calls, two of which are turnarounds from Funchal. Maiden calls to IJmuiden this year include Azamara Journey, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ Black Watch and Quark Expeditions’ Ocean Nova. Passenger numbers are estimated at 6,833.
There are certain advantages to calling IJmuiden over Amsterdam including saving six hours sailing time on the roundtrip and the sale of more shore excursions to visit Amsterdam.
