Industries
Maritime
Sometimes it’s good to be small. The maritime industry profits enormously from the compactness of the Netherlands, where the companies are not only close to each other geographically, but also very willing to work together, which means that your ideal partner is always close at hand. There is also no fear of close collaboration, because everyone is doing what he does best. These close contacts between the various specialists result in strong, innovative, high-quality production.
Although the Netherlands operates mainly in niche markets globally speaking, the maritime industry enjoys a great deal of respect, because products that are manufactured in the Dutch maritime industry are of very high quality. The Netherlands has always had an excellent reputation in the shipping industry, going back as far as the peak success period for the Dutch East Indies Company in the seventeenth century. In those days, Dutch shipbuilders ensured that herbs and spices from the Orient could reach Europe, and that leading position has actually never changed since.
The Netherlands’ many rivers and its location next to the North Sea have meant that water has always played an important role. A country that has two-thirds of its land area below sea level also has to be highly versatile on water. The ports of Rotterdam and Amsterdam are also major transit ports for goods to and from the rest of Europe. The inland navigation industry in the Netherlands is also the largest in Europe. The maritime industry is glad to reap the benefits from these circumstances.
Specialties nowadays, in 2008, include the construction of luxury yachts, dredging vessels, coasters, tugboats and inland navigation vessels. Suppliers also have a large market share, and dredging equipment, offshore products, inert gas systems, deck fittings, integrated bridge systems and propulsion equipment are all in great demand.
The goods produced in the Netherlands are not the most inexpensive, but they are state of the art and completely up to date with all the latest developments and trends.
