Shipping in the Amsterdam Rhine canal has been halted since around 9 am on Monday after at least two high tension electricity cables were knocked into the water.

The cables became entangled in a crane on board a barge as it neared Diemen, near Amsterdam. At least two of the cables, which carry 150,000 volts, ended up in the water and the others have been damaged, a spokesman for the local security board told broadcaster NOS.

The electricity has been rerouted but, the spokesman said, the two damaged cables need to be pulled out of the water and the other two risk breaking, hence the need to halt all shipping.

Freight traffic travelling towards Amsterdam is now being halted at Wijk bij Duurstede, some 50 kilometres down stream.

The spokesman said he did not know how long repairs would take.