Business
Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal to remain open for shipping at night
Rijkswaterstaat has decided to keep the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal open at night after initial plans for closure.
Rijkswaterstaat has announced that the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal will remain open for shipping at night. Earlier, there were plans for a temporary closure due to a shortage of traffic controllers.
The decision to keep the canal open came as a result of the introduction of additional safety measures. These measures allow the waterway to be accessible for vessels at night as well.
The original plans to close the canal at night would have particularly affected the inland shipping sector, which sees dozens of vessels passing through each night. The closure would have posed problems, as there are no safe places available to anchor.
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The canal, which stretches between Amsterdam and Tiel, is a vital shipping route for transport in the Netherlands.
The change in decision followed criticism and concern from the sector, which was worried about the consequences of the closure. Interest groups had expressed their dissatisfaction with the impact of the closure on shipping.
With the decision to keep the canal open, Rijkswaterstaat maintains navigational opportunities for shipping and aims to alleviate the situation for the affected sector.