Recently, a new and insightful study was conducted by The Erasmus Center for Urban, Port and Transport Economics and the Clingendael China Centre on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Netherlands: A Gateway to Europe
The maritime logistics hub function is of strategic importance for the Netherlands as a trading and distribution country. The Netherlands positions itself as a 'Gateway to Europe' thanks to its advanced port infrastructure and logistics networks and plays an important role in the global economy. However, this position faces an uncertain future: it is not self-evident that the Netherlands will remain a frontrunner in the coming years. Geopolitics, and in particular the influence of China, will have a major impact on the Dutch maritime logistics hub function.
China’s influence
Central to this report is the production of scenarios to explore China’s influence on the Netherlands’ future maritime logistics hub function. This influence relates particularly to the Netherlands’ central position and strategic autonomy as a maritime logistics hub. A key output is a set of possible actions the Dutch government and the maritime logistics sector could take to anticipate the potential role that China could play in logistics in Europe and hence also in the Netherlands.
Within this study, four possible scenarios regarding the future of the Dutch maritime logistics hub function were produced.
In order to reach the proposals of possible actions, various conclusions were made including:
- Conclusions based on an influential China in the decades ahead, regardless of the extent of globalisation/deglobalisation
- Conclusions specific to an influential China amid continuing globalisation
- Conclusions specific to an influential China in a context of deglobalisation
- Conclusions based on a weak role for China in the decades ahead
Following these exhaustive conclusions, the study offered recommendations with regard to the maritime logistics hub function in general as well as operations and infrastructure: (container) transshipment, ocean shipping, overseas trade, relationship with world trade.
Curious to read more about these specific outcomes. Read the full study by clicking the link below or contact Bart Kuipers (bkuipers@ese.eur.nl) or Liam van Son (vanson@ese.eur.nl).
Full article: https://www.clingendael.org/publication/navigating-uncertain-future
Note: Well known Dutch newspaper Financieel Dagblad published a piece including the study. Read it here!