The transport sector grew by 0.1 per cent in the second quarter of 2016 from a year earlier. This is the sector's lowest growth rate since 2013, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) quarterly monitor shows.
Waterborne and air transport saw their turnover fall by 7.5 and 2 per cent respectively. Land transport recorded a turnover increase of over 3 per cent. Postal and courier companies managed to book 1.5 per cent more turnover.
Waterborne transport and aviation under pressure
Waterborne transport has had a modest quarter due to overcapacity. Turnover fell for both maritime and inland waterway transport companies. The maritime sector is facing overcapacity, particularly in container shipping. Due to the reduced handling of bulk goods and containers in Dutch ports, there is less work for inland waterway skippers. Revenue for airlines fell by just over 1.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2016; the first decline in two years. Air freight turnover has been under pressure for some time, but this was offset by turnover from passenger transport. In the past quarter, turnover in passenger transport also fell.
Land transported sixth quarter in a row on the rise
Overland transporters' turnover rose for the sixth quarter in a row. All sub-sectors contributed to this. The biggest riser, at over 16 per cent, was in the name of movers. Road haulage, the largest branch, recorded the smallest increase in turnover at over 2 percent. Overland transporters expect an increase in employment in the coming quarter. Staff strength is expected to increase at 13 per cent of operators.
Service providers see turnover fall
Transport service providers saw turnover fall by almost half a percent in the past quarter. in For waterborne transport service providers and loading, unloading and transhipment companies, turnover fell by more than 5 and 7 percent respectively. The transhipment companies saw turnover decline due to lower outgoing and incoming volumes of containers and dry bulk. In the other subsectors, there were increases in turnover, but this was not enough to increase overall turnover development.
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