Netherlands Water Sector: Maritime, Delta & Water Technology Leaders

Updated on 24 November 2024

The Dutch are surrounded by water. Did you know that half of the country is actually below sea level? Yet somehow this seems to work just fine due to multiple innovative solutions that prevent this area from flooding. Due to many historical floods and periodical problems with heavy rainfall, the Netherlands became an expert in water technology and sustainable usage of water in general. The Water Top Sector focuses on several areas within the sector, such as energy technologies for the re-use of water, the protection of land, and smart and safe ships. It consists of three separate clusters, which we will describe below, namely Water, Maritime and Delta technology. The knowledge of the Dutch regarding these subjects is considered to be among the best in the world. The Water Top Sector is essentially a collaboration of industry, government and a wide plethora of highly developed research institutions. [5]

Water Technology

The quality of the drinking water in the Netherlands is considered amongst the best in the world. This is mainly due to the efforts of the water technology cluster. The knowledge and technology that the Dutch possess on this subject are being used worldwide. This also goes for knowledge and expertise in the field of the purification and reusage of waste water. The international market in this area is very large, since water is needed due to its scarcity in many parts of the world. The water technology cluster is founded on three general themes: smart water systems, resource efficiency and sustainable cities. If you are active in the water sector, collaboration might provide beneficial opportunities for your company,

Maritime Technology

Since the Netherlands is the maritime center of Europe, it also owns one of the strongest and most complete maritime clusters worldwide. The Dutch have been well known for their maritime skills for centuries, as they colonized parts of the world before many other countries had such skills. Nowadays, the efforts are put into a diverse fleet of ships, versatility within the maritime industry, and a sizable fleet as well as ports. Rotterdam’s port also has the largest capacity in the world. The Netherlands also has a leading position in the offshore world, with large companies such as Heerema Marine Contractors. This cluster has four general themes: clean ships, effective infrastructure, winning at sea and smart and safe driving.

Delta Technology

The Delta Technology cluster focuses on living and surviving in low-lying deltas. As previously mentioned, part of the Netherlands is below sea level. Thus, the Dutch have become experts in the construction of solutions like the sand engine and the creation of extra land such as the Maasvlakte. Some internationally renowned solutions include a flood barrier constructed in St. Petersburg, assisting in making New Orleans livable and waterproof, and also aiding New York after it was struck by hurricane ‘Sandy’. Such situations keep demanding sustainable solutions for managing water and flood protection. This can be applied everywhere in the world and is therefore an essential priority. This cluster has three general themes: flood protection, eco-design and water management.

Read more about the fastest growing industries in The Netherlads