MReflections on Dutch Maritime Power: Then and Now (circa 2014, revisited May 13, 2025)
Written in 2014, these notes were inspired by a visit to the magnificent Het Scheepvaartmuseum Amsterdam. Opened with grand ceremony in 1972 by HRH Princess Beatrix, the museum housed an extraordinary collection – paintings, books, and rare artifacts intimately connected to the sea, the wind, and the intrepid men and women who navigated the world’s oceans. This rich maritime history laid the very foundation for the Netherlands’ enduring successes.
Looking back from 2025, it’s fascinating to consider the context of 2014. While no one in 1972 could have fully foreseen the transformative impact of the internet, by 2014, the “second Dutch Golden Age” fueled by its commercialization was well underway. Our cities, airports, and naval ports had been reshaped, and the Dutch GDP had indeed doubled in size between 1972 and 2013, solidifying the Netherlands’ position as a wealthy and influential global player.
My notes from that time recalled the remarkable maritime dominance of the Dutch in the 17th century. Around 1670, a staggering ten percent of Dutch adult males were sailors. The Dutch fleet surpassed the combined might of England, France, Germany, Portugal, Scotland, and Spain. Their innovative use of the wind-powered sawmill, invented in 1596, allowed for more efficient timber processing, giving them a crucial shipbuilding advantage. They built ships faster, cheaper, and better than their rivals.
While I could have elaborated on the Dutch cutting-edge technology of the 17th century, my key observation in 2014 was the remarkable continuity of Dutch excellence in naval construction, logistics, and the transportation of goods into the 21st century. Even then, Dutch expertise was sought globally for building and managing naval ports. The Port of Rotterdam’s pivotal role in supporting the logistics and development of the sprawling Port of Shanghai (over 120 km long) was a powerful illustration of this ongoing influence.
As I noted then, Het Scheepvaartmuseum truly represents and reflects the extraordinary Dutch know-how in all aspects of the sea, naval mobility, and port management.
The seas and the boats are the roots of this little country rightfully built on water-land.
My 2014 perspective highlighted the pervasive connection of Dutch ingenuity to our daily lives. It was evident that a significant portion of goods consumed in 2014 had a Dutch connection. Inland waterway transport within the EU relied heavily on Dutch-built vessels, and imports overwhelmingly flowed through the ports of Rotterdam (still the number one in the EU) and Amsterdam (then number five, and still a significant player).
B. Servaege (Reflecting on 2014 from Amsterdam, May 13, 2025)
