Exploring Netherlands: The perfect gateway into Europe

A developed economy that is one of the world’s 10 leading exporting countries, Netherlands has been significantly contributing to the European economy and creating numerous logistics opportunities owing to its key industry sectors and geographic location.

Netherlands, home to Rotterdam, one of the biggest, busiest and most modern seaports in Europe, is one of the world’s leading international trade hub and destination offering unmatched connectivity not just into Europe but across the globe.

Creating opportunities for specialised logistics services

With foodstuffs, chemicals, metallurgy and machinery, comprising Netherlands’ major industry sectors, the country fosters promising trade partnerships with Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Italy, China and Russia.

Being among the agricultural exporters of the world, specialised greenhouses form its leading exports while Netherland’s main imports include tyres, furniture, garments, etc.

As a result, Netherlands emerges as one of the key markets for global logistics companies like ECU Worldwide that offer both – a vast network as well as the expertise in handling and transporting varied types of cargo including even Over-Dimensional Cargo and Dangerous Goods (DG) cargo.

Netherlands is famous for its water management industry and ECU Worldwide Netherlands helps ship all parts and tools to Dutch dredging companies around the world.

A gateway bringing the world to Europe

With its excellent rail, road and barge connections, Netherlands is an ideal gateway to Europe and a perfect destination for businesses looking to broaden horizons into the region.

“For customers who want to ship cargo to and from various locations around the world and Europe, ECU Worldwide Netherlands offers a seamlessness that few other logistics services providers can match. We have a vast global network that covers more than 180 countries and helps create unique synergies as a result of local expertise and own offices at the origin as well as destination. Additionally, being frontrunners in adopting digital technology and leading the way ahead in this new normal equips ECU Worldwide Netherlands to offer customers the reliability and excellence characteristic to the world’s LCL consolidation leader”, says Ricardo Rens, Country Manager, ECU Worldwide Netherlands.

Right from warehousing, 3PL services to LCL consolidation, ocean and air freight, ECU Worldwide Netherlands offers multimodal transportation solutions that can be customized to specific business supply chain requirements.

Netherlands is famous for its bonded warehousing and Fiscal Representative customs clearances, and these services are availed by a number of ECU Worldwide Netherland’s customers from the EU. While creating additional bonded warehousing space remains a challenge, the team continues to minimise hindrances and move ahead in its endeavour to offer end-to-end logistics to customers across diverse regions and industry sectors.

Seamless logistics backed by sustainability

With a number of its citizens using public transport and cycling being one of the key modes of transport, Netherlands is home to an environmentally-conscious population and this approach extends to its logistics sector too.

By transporting cargo via good barge, waterways and rail services and reducing the reliance on road transport, the country aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and make logistics and transportation more sustainable.

The Port of Rotterdam, along with rivers Meuse and Rhine offers excellent access to Basel, Switzerland as well as into Germany and France. It is an important transhipment hub and transit point for bulk materials that are shipped to and from various destinations in Europe and beyond. Additionally, Volkeraksluizen, one of Europe’s busiest inland locks serves as an essential connection facilitating cargo shipments between the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp.

Focus on customer-centricity and use of digital technology

One of the main reasons why ECU Worldwide Netherlands has emerged as a leading logistics company in the market is that the team believes in listening to customers, understanding their needs and offering solutions perfectly tailored to meet them. These could vary from operational flows and pricing to online tools and IT solutions.

ECU Worldwide’s state-of-the-art digital platform ECU360 v2.0 that offers customers the convenience to ship with a click has seen significant success in the Netherlands. With a variety of features including instant quotes and pricing for door-to-door deliveries for 57 countries, quick bookings and easy access to essential information, customers can conduct business 24×7 and save the time and effort of coordinating with multiple vendors.

With just 3% of ECU Worldwide Netherlands’ customers using ECU360 at the beginning of the year, the number has now grown to 40% and is estimated to grow to 70% in the coming year.

Conclusion

Be it a stable and developed economy, a strong logistics and transportation infrastructure, or a plethora of opportunities, Netherlands has a lot to offer businesses and ECU Worldwide Netherlands remains committed to helping them leverage this to the fullest.