Market Trends of Netherlands Sea Freight Transport Industry
Cross Border E-commerce Growth
Global e-commerce expansion continues to redefine the shape and complexity of supply chains. It is no secret that the world of e-commerce has been booming for a while. The popularity of online shopping continues to increase rapidly in the Netherlands. Dutch cross-border e-commerce is increasing significantly, with 95% of Dutch consumers shopping online nowadays, according to a survey. Over Q1 2023, Dutch consumers spent approximately EUR 1 billion (USD 1.08 billion) on foreign e-commerce sites. This figure is higher than that obtained in the previous quarter and an increase of about EUR 100 million (USD 107.62 million) when compared to the same period in 2022.
It is interesting to note that China is one of the most popular countries for cross-border purchases originating in the Netherlands. According to a Cross-Border E-commerce Shopper Survey conducted in 2022, about four out of ten Dutch respondents who purchased goods online from outside the country did so through a website in China. The growth of cross-border ecommerce promotes international trade. The growing cross-border ecommerce is supporting the growth of the maritime industry in the Netherlands.
Re-exports Contributing to the Market Growth
In 2022, the Netherlands exported EUR 731.4 billion (USD 787.13 billion) worth of goods, of which EUR 368.3 billion concerned re-exports. It is the first time that the value of re-exports exceeded domestic exports. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this in conjunction with the publication Dutch Trade in Facts and Figures 2023. In 2022, the value of re-exports was nearly 58% higher than in the pre-pandemic year 2019. As a result, the total export value also increased by EUR 236.5 billion (USD 254.52 billion) (48%). The larger increase in the value of re-exports is partly due to the relatively sharp rise in re-exports of mineral fuels. These saw a substantial price increase in 2022, partly due to the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.
In 2022, more than half (55%) of Dutch goods exports were destined for the five main export partners: Germany, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. Exports to nearby trading partners, in particular, consisted largely of re-exports. For Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, the share amounted to more than 60% in 2022. Re-exports of crude petroleum and (liquefied) natural gas play a major role here. When looking at exports to the UK, domestic exports are most important, with re-exports accounting for 41%. These re-exports contributed to the growth of the maritime industry in the Netherlands in 2022.
