Netherlands - Marine TechnologyNetherlands - Marine Technology
Overview
The Netherlands has boat builders of all sizes. There are 507,800 boats presently in use in the country. Polyester boats, especially sailboats, are popular, but most are steel, diesel-powered, freshwater, and family boats, averaging 26- to 36-feet in length.
The total number of employees in the industry remains stable at 31,000. There are 4,200 watersport companies active in the Netherlands employing 20,300 full-time employees (FTE), including many marinas, importers, and maintenance companies.
In 2016 Dutch shipyards delivered 63 seagoing vessels to market with a value of more than $1.2 billion. Production at foreign facilities belonging to Dutch shipyard groups is on the rise, and foreign affiliates of Dutch shipyards are also doing well. On average, 60 percent of seagoing ships produced in the Netherlands are destined for export.
The most important marine equipment trade show in Europe, the Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS), is held annually in November in Amsterdam.
Unit: USD thousands
|
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 (Estimated) |
Total Local Production |
6,373,395 |
6,503,793 |
7,115,150 |
7,124,412 |
Total Exports |
3,824,037 |
3,902,276 |
2,911,950 |
4,752,541 |
Total Imports |
190,324 |
181,524 |
975,781 |
201,143 |
Imports from the U.S. |
33,058 |
31,529 |
41,561 |
35,482 |
Total Market Size |
2,739,682 |
2,783,041 |
5,178,981 |
2,573,014 |
Exchange Rates: |
0.9013 |
0.9009 |
0.9009 |
N/A |
(total market size = (total local production + imports) - exports)
Data Sources:
Total Local Production: ICOMIA
Total Exports: HISWA
Total Imports: CBS
Imports from U.S.: Census Bureau
Leading Sub-Sectors
Many types of boating equipment and supplies sell well; marine electronics and maritime technology are in great demand. There is interest in global positioning systems, marine communications, direct dialing communication systems, fluxgate compasses, electronic charting, and versatile screen displays and interfacing. Other types of less-sophisticated basic boat parts, equipment, and supplies are also enjoying strong sales.
Web Resources
Trade Events: Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS)
November 19 -21, 2019 | RAI Amsterdam, the Netherlands
METS website
Associations: HISWA (Dutch Trade Association for the pleasure boat industry)
Netherlands Maritime Technology
(Dutch Trade Association for the shipbuilding industry)
SME Resources: Posted on the website of the Global Marine Technology Team
Contact: Philip Hammerstein, Commercial Specialist
U.S. Commercial Service – The Netherlands
Philip.Hammerstein@trade.gov | +31-70-310 2416