Holland Compared

Logistics Sector
Strategic gateway to Europe and the world
• The Netherlands was ranked 2nd in the 2014 World Bank global
Logistics Performance Index (based on terms of efficiency and
effectiveness of its customs, quality of transport, IT infrastructure
for logistics and ease and affordability of shipping).
• The Port of Rotterdam is the world’s 8th-largest and Europe’s
largest port with a throughput of 445 million tons in 2014. From
the Port of Rotterdam, all major industrial and economic centres
in Western Europe can be reached in less than 24 hours.
• In 2013, Schiphol won the ‘ACI EUROPE Best Airport’ award for the
fourth time. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport won two awards at the
2012 Asian Freight & Supply Chain Awards: Best Airport in Europe
and the Best Air Cargo Terminal in Europe. At the 2014 World
Airport Awards air travellers voted Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
the Best Airport in Western Europe.
• According to the World Economic Forum, the quality of the Dutch
infrastructure is among the best in the world, reflecting excellent
facilities for maritime, air, road and railroad transport, ranked 1st,
4th, 5th and 9th, respectively in 2014. IMD Business School ranked
the Netherlands first worldwide in 2014 with regards to the quality
of its water transport infrastructure.
• Dutch inland shipping accounts for 54% of all trade shipping in
Western Europe. The Dutch fleet is, with 7,000 vessels, the biggest
and most modern in Europe. 79% of all containers transported via
inland navigation in the EU-28 countries passes through Dutch
territory.
• Over 1,000 American and Asian companies have centralised their
European distribution activities in the Netherlands. The country
hosts over 20 million square metres of distribution centres.
• The Netherlands has the third cooling and freezing storage
capacity in the EU.
TOP SECTORS IN FOCUS 63