Lock Schedule: planning of locks and work instruction

Zeesluis IJmuiden_baken

Planning of locks

The availability and current planning of the Noordersluis and Zeesluis IJmuiden locks are shown in the Lock Schedule.

 
Handelsketen

Planning of tugboats and pilots

Information on the availability of tugboats and pilots is provided by our partners: Port Towage Amsterdam and the Regional Pilotage Corporation.

The vertical lines next to the lock schedule show the availability. Click on the button Pilots/Tugs for IJmuiden on the left and on the button Pilot/Tugs for Amsterdam on the right.

The structure is as follows:

  • Availability of tugs: Normal, Limited or Low (resp. Green, Yellow, Red)
  • Pilot service status: Normal, Storm piloting small, Storm piloting all (resp. Green, Yellow, Orange)
Obstructions

The small bell next to the title shows the expected stoppages.  If an obstruction differs from the displayed schedule, the displayed schedule is leading.

LockSchedule

Lock Schedule work instruction

Scheduling

The Harbour Master Division of the Port of Amsterdam schedules incoming ships as of 48 hours before a loading. Outgoing ships are scheduled from 24 hours before a lock.
The lock planning is displayed in near real time from the Harbour Master Management Information System (HaMIS) in the Lock Schedule.

Scheduling source

The lock planning is based on the data (ETA and ETD berth) that ship's agents enter in the Port Community System (PCS).
For the planning the ship's agent who is the first to register a vessel for a certain time via the PCS is granted the lock reservation, provided it fits in the planning.

Time ships

An exception may be made for the arrival of so-called 'tide ships'. These ships have priority because they are dependent on the water level and currents for their lock passage. A tide ship has priority in case of a simultaneous requested lockage time. The other vessel moves on to the next free spot in the planning.

Confirmation

The lock reservation for an outgoing vessel has to be confirmed by the shipping agent. This is done by ordering the vessel at least 6 hours before the indicated departure time (ETD berth). Lock reservations that have not been made definitive expire.

Changes in ETA or ETD

If the ETA or the ETD of a ship changes, the reservation can be changed. Changes have to be reported by ship's agents via PCS.

Does a ship/captain send a deviating ETA to both Port of Amsterdam and the agency? Then Port of Amsterdam will process this update. Unless the agent decides otherwise himself or the ship already has the status 'remain outside until further notice (TNOBB)'.

If there is space in the planning at a time that was previously requested by an agent, the agent in question will be informed by the Harbour Master's Division. The agent must then change his lock planning request in PCS.

ETD unknown

Shipping agents are requested to leave the ETD berth field in PCS empty as long as the ETD of the outbound voyage is still unknown or inaccurate.

Other working arrangements

The Lock Schedule has an explicit relationship with:

  • The 'Samenschutregeling' - part of CNB decision number CNB/2013/138;
  • The 'Policy Rules for Passage of Barges through the Noordersluis IJmuiden and the North Sea Canal' - Basijn number CNB/2011/33;
  • The 'IJgeul Tidal Gate Regulations' - March 2016;
  • The 'Ship Movements Regulations'. The working arrangements - in so far as they deviate from the prevailing regulation - are laid down in the Ship Movements Regulation.

The adopted working arrangements can be found online als PDF.