Amsterdam council officials have decided not to vote on a plan to move the city’s cruise ship terminal further into the western docks until after the March 18 local elections.

Instead, they will work on the option of ending sea cruises altogether by 2035, although it will be up to the next city administration to decide, council port chief Hester van Buren said on Thursday.

A feasibility study into relocating the sea cruise terminal from its current location east of the main railway station highlighted high investment costs, estimated at €85 million, which the city executive considers “undesirable”.

“We want to prioritise sustainability and liveability,” Van Buren said. “This means that we will be exploring the option of ending sea cruises in Amsterdam by 2035 in the coming months, so that the new municipal executive can make a decision.”

In 2024, the city council decided to reduce the number of cruise ships allowed to dock in Amsterdam from 190 to 100 by 2026 and to remove the sea cruise terminal from its current location on Veemkade by 2035.

By discontinuing sea cruises, the council would lose an estimated €46 million in port and tourist taxes over a 30-year period.