Indonesia is a Dutch colony until 1949: the Dutch East Indies. How does this effect the building of large ocean-going vessels in the Netherlands?
Indonesia is a Dutch colony until 1949: the Dutch East Indies. How does this effect the building of large ocean-going vessels in the Netherlands?
The Dutch colonies are hugely significant for the nation’s shipbuilding industry. The building of large seagoing vessels begins slowly in the Netherlands as steam power becomes to dominate shipping in the mid-nineteenth century. Steamships enable shipping companies to set up regular, reliable connections between the Netherlands and its colonies. The two Dutch companies – Stoomvaart-Maatschappij Nederland (Netherland Line) and Rotterdamsche Lloyd – invest in these new shipping lines. Besides trade, they also provide the government with regular transport for officials, military personnel, mail and cargo. An 1887 agreement between the government and the two shipping companies lays down prices, frequency and duration of voyages. It also stipulates that all ships should be built in the Netherlands. This allows the major Dutch shipyards to build ties with the Dutch shipping companies, which have until then mainly commissioned ships abroad. They remain the country’s shipbuilders’ principal customers until the Second World War.
-
From 1870 onwards, shipyards build increasingly large ships. How does this affect where they are located?
-
For centuries, shipyards are family businesses. Why do these firms start to disappear after 1850?
-
New ships are made of iron and powered by steam. How does that change the way shipyards work after 1870?
-
Rapid scientific progress changes the way ships are built. Where do shipbuilders gain this new expertise?
-
Indonesia is a Dutch colony until 1949: the Dutch East Indies. How does this effect the building of large ocean-going vessels in the Netherlands?
-
Dutch shipbuilders rely on a small group of large Dutch shipping companies. What kind of impact do these companies have on the country’s shipyards?
-
After 1960, the market for new ships shrinks. How do Dutch shipyards respond?
-
Ever larger ships are built, but building them is less profitable. Why do not shipyards earn more from building larger ships?
-
From 1960, Dutch shipbuilding goes into decline. What does the government do to help?
-
After 1983, Dutch shipbuilders reinvent themselves. What have the shipyards learned from the past?
-
The maritime sector is crucial for the Netherlands. What does the government do to support the sector?
-
Dutch shipbuilders build complex ships. In what way do Dutch shipyards differ from their foreign competitors?