Sailseer

Netherlands: Harbours, bridges and formalities for sailors

711 harbours · 1,226 bridges and locks · 1 inland lake

Plan trip

Netherlands: 711 harbours, 1,226 bridges and locks, clearing in, papers and fees. Plan your trip with weather, tides and route.

Formalities

EU memberSchengen AreaEU customs unionCurrency: Euro

Clearing in: No clearance within the Schengen area. From the United Kingdom or another non-Schengen country: border control by the Koninklijke Marechaussee in a port with a border crossing point (e.g. IJmuiden, Scheveningen, Vlissingen, Den Helder) and customs declaration.

Documents: Licence according to your home country's rules; the Dutch Klein Vaarbewijs applies to boats of 15 m or more or faster than 20 km/h. SRC for the radio, on inland waters also ATIS. Boat papers and insurance.

Fees: Harbour dues per night and length, plus tourist tax per person (toeristenbelasting). Bridge and lock fees on some canals.

Fairway: Staande Mastroute (standing mast route) through Holland with fixed bridge times, partly as a night convoy. Locks and bridges by VHF; strong tidal streams in the tidal inlets and on the Wadden Sea. Off IJmuiden and Rotterdam dense commercial traffic with mandatory reporting.

Inland waters: Inland, the Binnenvaartpolitiereglement applies: Klein Vaarbewijs for boats of 15 m or more or faster than 20 km/h, radio only with ATIS and the basic Marifoon certificate; bridges and locks by VHF, some with bridge fees.

Nature: Wadden Sea (Waddenzee) with protected areas for seals and breeding birds that are closed at times; drying out only outside the closed zones. The boundaries are shown on the Waddenkaart.

Emergency: 112; Kustwacht (JRCC Den Helder), VHF channel 16 and DSC.

Sources: Rijkswaterstaat, Varen, Kustwacht Nederland (as of 2026-10-20)

Harbours by cruising area

Dutch Wadden Sea

Ems and Dollart

IJsselmeer and Markermeer

North Holland (IJmuiden, Amsterdam)

South Holland (Rotterdam, Scheveningen)

Wadden Sea and Friesland

Zeeland (Eastern and Western Scheldt)

Inland lakes

Bridges and locks

Locks

Movable bridges

Fixed bridges (537)

Frequently asked questions

Netherlands: Do I need to clear in?

No clearance within the Schengen area. From the United Kingdom or another non-Schengen country: border control by the Koninklijke Marechaussee in a port with a border crossing point (e.g. IJmuiden, Scheveningen, Vlissingen, Den Helder) and customs declaration.

Netherlands: Which documents do I need on board?

Licence according to your home country's rules; the Dutch Klein Vaarbewijs applies to boats of 15 m or more or faster than 20 km/h. SRC for the radio, on inland waters also ATIS. Boat papers and insurance.

Netherlands: What fees apply?

Harbour dues per night and length, plus tourist tax per person (toeristenbelasting). Bridge and lock fees on some canals.

Netherlands: What is the emergency number at sea?

112; Kustwacht (JRCC Den Helder), VHF channel 16 and DSC.

Netherlands: How many harbours does Sailseer cover?

Sailseer covers 711 harbours with harbour info, weather and route planning. Plus 1,226 bridges and locks with opening times and clearances.