Sea Lock IJmuiden: built for the future
The Port of Amsterdams new front door
Thanks to the new sea lock, the Port of Amsterdam is assured of a reliable entrance to the North Sea for a long time to come. With this, we can work together with the North Sea Canal municipalities and other parties in the area to develop the port as a sustainable and circular energy and raw materials hub. That's how we plan to facilitate the necessary steps towards the sustainability of the economy and our society. Learn more about the exact steps below.
Facts & Figures about the sea lock
- Sea Lock IJmuiden is 500 meters long, 70 meters wide and 18 meters deep.
- Over 630 million litres of water go into the lock. That's equivalent to 252 Olympic swimming pools.
- Ships of up to 399 meters long and 57 meters wide can use the lock.
- The new sea lock isn't dependent on the tide and can be used 24/7.
- Sea Lock IJmuiden is a replacement for the Noordersluis lock, which was completed in 1929.
What more can you find at the lock complex?
- The South Lock (Zuidersluis): This is the first and smallest lock of this complex, built in 1876.
- The Middle Lock (Middensluis): Built in 1896, was the biggest lock in the world until the opening of the locks in Panama (1913).
- The North Lock (Noordersluis): This lock is still used to let bigger ships pass through.
- The Sluice complex: The current sluice complex was built in 1945 and has a capacity of 700 cubic meters per second.
- Pumping station: This pumping stations fulfills an important roll in drainage of a huge part of North-Holland and Sout-Holland.
Salt Dam at IJmuiden
Since the opening of the Sea Lock IJmuiden, much more salt is transfered to the North Sea canal. To much salt in the canal is bad for the environment, agriculture and the quality of our drinking water. To prevent the salt rise in the water, Rijkswaterstaat (Dutch Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management) builds a salt dam at the lock complex.
A personal view on Sea Lock IJmuiden
What is it like to operate the largest lock in the world? Check this video, where our Lock Operator tells you his insights.
A look back on the construction of the IJmuiden Sea Lock
Sea Lock IJmuiden is one of the largest infrastructural projects in our country. A structure to be proud of. The lock was commissioned by the Dutch Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat), and built by contractors consortium OpenIJ. It was a collaboration between the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Province of North Holland, the City of Amsterdam, the Municipality of Velsen and the Port of Amsterdam.
