More than 80 percent of international road transport to Belgium and Germany

Dutch international road transport mainly carries goods to regions just across the Dutch border. More than 80 percent of international road transport was loaded up or unloaded in Germany or Belgium and more than half in regions just across the Dutch border.

International road transport by Dutch hauliers, 2009

Half of international road transport to and from Germany

Germany is the largest market for international road transport. In 2009 50 million tons of goods were shipped between the Netherlands and Germany, i.e. half of total international transport carried by Dutch hauliers. Goods shipped to and from Belgium accounted for one third of total annual tonnage.

International road transport to and from Belgium and Germany carried by Dutch hauliers, 2009

Bulk of road transport to North Rhine-Westphalia and Flanders

The bulk of goods carried by road to and from Germany and Belgium concentrates in and around the border region. More than half of the total transport of goods between the Netherlands and Germany was carried to and from the federal German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Altogether, Dutch hauliers travelled approximately 26 thousand times a week to North Rhine-Westphalia in 2009 carrying an average of nearly 9 tons of goods.

The bulk (85 percent) of the total tonnage carried to Belgium was destined for the Flanders region. Most goods are intended for the province of Antwerp.

Many agricultural products to Germany

Most agricultural products, livestock and food products were carried to Germany. These products accounted for more than one third of all goods carried to Germany. Germany also imports a large amount of chemical products.

Nearly 40 tons out of every 100 tons carried by Dutch hauliers from Germany to the Netherlands in 2009 consisted of sand, road metal and building materials; 80 percent came from North Rhine-Westphalia.

International road transport from Germany by type of goods, 2009

Mathijs Jacobs and Paul Ras