Rederijen

Reederijen are shipping companies that own, operate, or charter ships to transport goods or passengers. In Dutch usage, the term refers to firms engaged in maritime transport on seas and oceans, and sometimes on inland waterways, organized as companies or corporations.

Historically, rederijen have been central to Dutch trade and global maritime networks. From the 17th century, the Netherlands developed a large mercantile fleet and a tradition of merchant houses that formed early shipping lines. With the arrival of steam in the 19th century, lines expanded their networks, standardized tonnage, and created regular routes between Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Ownership ranged from family businesses to joint-stock companies; security and credit networks among rederijen were important to financing ships and operations. The 20th century brought economic upheavals, two world wars, and consolidation; many firms merged into larger lines or were nationalized or reorganized in response to competition and regulation.

Among historic Dutch rederijen are Rotterdamsche Lloyd and the Koninklijke Nederlandse Stoomboot-Maatschappij (KNSM), which operated during the 19th and 20th centuries and contributed to the Netherlands' role as a major trading nation. In the modern era, the Dutch maritime sector includes a mix of large international carriers, specialized operators, and logistics companies that maintain a Dutch maritime presence through fleets, port operations, and freight services.