Rotterdam | Shipping Traffic Restrictions on 12 September

11 September, 2026 – Annual testing of the Nieuwe Waterweg and Hartelkanaal storm surge barriers will affect shipping traffic in Rotterdam on Saturday 12 September.

Several temporary closures and restrictions are scheduled during the testing.

What to expect:

• Nieuwe Waterweg — complete obstruction from approximately 12:50 on Saturday until 04:25 on Sunday.
• Hartelkanaal — complete obstruction from approximately 12:20 until 21:30 on Saturday.
• Hartelsluis — unavailable from Friday at 11:30 until approximately 21:50 on Saturday.
• A 300-metre exclusion zone will apply on both sides of the storm surge barriers during the closure.
• Vessels approaching from sea and heading for Calandkanaal or Beerkanaal can proceed as normal.
• Timings may be shortened or extended depending on operational conditions.

Pilot services

A Capacity Arrangement for Pilot Services is also currently active in Rotterdam, so additional waiting time may apply.

YOUR VESSELS, OUR PORTS 

In Rotterdam, MasOceans works with TMA Logistics, our exclusive partner for port calls in the Netherlands and Belgium. Their local know-how and hands-on approach help us respond quickly, keep you updated and every call on track — 24/7.

For your next port call in the region, please contact our Commercial Director, Martaxelle Erussard:

 martaxelle@masoceans.com
 +41 (0) 79 658 1504 / +41 (0) 22 552 0051