Logistics is one of the first sectors in the Netherlands to notice the impact of a Brexit. So says ABN Amro in an analysis on the impact of a Brexit on exporting business. A sharp drop in growth is expected for the agro and food sectors, which will affect logistics.
ABN Amro had forecast economic growth of 1.7 per cent for 2016 as a whole, but expects this growth to be just 1.5 per cent due to the outcome of the UK referendum. In 2017, growth is set to slow further to 1.2 per cent. “The impact on the Netherlands
of a potential Brexit is significant, even greater
than for the rest of the eurozone. This is
because the UK is a more important export partner for the Netherlands,” writes ABN Amro in the report.
The bank predicts that Brexit will have a greater-than-average impact on the agri-food sector, particularly due to the effects of the weaker British pound. “This decline makes it more difficult for British
importers of agricultural and
food products has made it more expensive to
import from the eurozone, and the
purchasing power of British consumers.”
Slower economic growth or barriers to trade with the United Kingdom will have a direct impact on the logistics sector. Last year, goods worth 4.8 billion euros were exported to the United Kingdom. According to ABN Amro, this represents 15 per cent of the transport sector’s total
of services provided by the transport sector. The
maritime and coastal shipping sector plays a major
share of this. It is estimated that a third of
total coastal shipping traffic between the UK and
the Netherlands takes place. The bank also expects a negative trend for road transport. This is because a large proportion of lorries heading for the United Kingdom carry agricultural products and foodstuffs.
Editorial LogistiekProfs
