The Port of Amsterdam has introduced new guidelines aimed at making shore leave more accessible for seafarers calling at Amsterdam. The initiative is intended to give practical effect to an internationally recognized right that is essential for seafarers’ health, welfare and morale, but which has increasingly come under pressure in modern port operations. According to recent reports, the new Amsterdam policy requires terminals to actively facilitate safe and workable access between ship and shore. The measures are designed to ensure that security requirements and operational procedures do not unnecessarily prevent crew members from leaving the vessel during port calls.
shore leave is right
Shore leave is not merely a convenience or a discretionary privilege. Under the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, seafarers should be granted shore leave to benefit their health and well-being, subject to operational and security considerations. At the same time, ports and terminals must continue to comply with security requirements, including the ISPS Code. The challenge is therefore not to choose between security and shore leave, but to organize access in a way that allows both interests to be respected.
the Amsterdam approach
The Amsterdam approach places responsibility on terminals to make shore access part of their practical security and access arrangements. Terminals are expected to provide clear procedures for crew movements between the vessel and the public area and to include these arrangements in their security plans. The policy also includes an enforcement element where the port authority may assess shore leave arrangements when reviewing terminal security plans and during inspections.
The Port of Amsterdam’s initiative is a constructive example of how the maritime sector can give practical meaning to seafarers’ rights while maintaining port security. The wider message is clear. Shore leave should be planned, enabled and monitored as part of normal port operations. Where barriers exist, they should be identified and addressed rather than accepted as an unavoidable consequence of security or efficiency.
If you require any specific advice about shore leave or assistance in any Dutch port, please feel free to contact us at correspondents@nnpc-correspondents.com.