Shipping registers Netherlands and Curaçao have economic value of € 1.9 B and NAf. 7.6 M

The economic contribution of the shipping register of the Netherlands is €1.89 billion, or 0.19 percent of GDP. This corresponds to 11,400 jobs, or 0.11 percent of employment. The economic contribution of the shipping register of Curaçao is Afl. 7.6 million, or 0.13 percent of GDP. The Curaçao register is related to 65 jobs, or 0.11 percent of employment. This was calculated by Amsterdam Bureau for Economics on behalf of the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners.

Seagoing vessels that have registered in the shipping register of a certain state may fly the flag of that state. To do this, the ship must have a genuine link with that state. Shipowners often choose a particular flag for strategic reasons.

Within the Kingdom of the Netherlands there are two shipping registers, that of the Netherlands and that of Curaçao. Ships in both registers fly the Dutch Kingdom flag, but different rules and treaties apply to both registers and the registers are organized differently. Furthermore, both registers have different reputations.

A shipping register generates direct economic impact through the activities of shipowners on shore and at sea and through the administration of the register. In addition, the direct impact ripples through the rest of the economy.

In alternative scenarios with improved shipping registers, the economic impact may be higher: € 2.07 billion (0.21 percent of GDP) and 12,400 jobs (0.12 percent of employment) for the Netherlands and Afl. 19.7 million (0.35 percent of GDP) and 165 jobs (0.27 percent of employment) for Curaçao. The reason for this is that the numbers of ships in the registers have been declining in recent years. This applies to both registers, but especially to that of Curaçao.

The reports can be read here.