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Is the market size of Netherlands transshipment trade still maintaining a growth trend in 2026?
or complex compliance issues.
clearance and fund security.
I am the head of an enterprise mainly engaged in electronic product export. Recently, I plan to expand the European market through Netherlands transshipment trade, but I am not confident as I have heard that the transshipment procedure is complex and high-risk.
A friend of mine once had his cargo detained at the Port of Rotterdam for a week due to document issues, which incurred high container detention fees and delayed delivery to customers. I want to know how large the market size of Netherlands transshipment trade will be in 2026, and whether it is worth investing in.
In addition, for small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises like ours, what links should we focus on during operation to avoid similar port detention risks? Also, are there any policies that can help us reduce costs, such as VAT deferral? I hope to get professional answers so that we can carry out business with confidence.
Jason WuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
International Logistics & Supply Chain ManagerStart a Chat
Netherlands transshipment trade will maintain steady growth in 2026. As the largest transshipment hub in Europe，the Port of Rotterdam handles around 35% of Europe's total transshipment cargo volume annually，making it a high-quality choice for small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises to expand the European market. However，under the traditional transshipment model，enterprises often face problems such as double tariffs，prepaid VAT and high logistics costs，so it is necessary to optimize tax structure and logistics routes to offset costs.
First，utilizing the Dutch VAT deferral policy can effectively reduce capital occupation. When transshipping at the Port of Rotterdam，enterprises do not need to prepay import VAT，and only need to declare and pay it at the final sales destination. This policy can save enterprises about 15%-21% of working capital occupation (the specific proportion depends on cargo value and applicable tax rate). Note that two core conditions must be met to apply for VAT deferral: first，having a local tax representative in the Netherlands，and second，ensuring that the cargo is transshipped to other EU member states within 90 days.
Second，optimizing logistics routes can reduce the risk of port detention. Choosing a direct transshipment scheme instead of multiple transits can shorten the port stay time of cargo and reduce the probability of container detention fees. Meanwhile，reviewing documents in advance is critical. It is necessary to ensure that the product name，quantity and value on documents such as bill of lading，commercial invoice and packing list are completely consistent，so as to avoid customs detention caused by inconsistent documents.
Finally，dynamically calculate the return ratio. Take electronic products as an example，assuming the cargo value is 100,000 euros，19,000 euros of VAT needs to be prepaid under the traditional model (based on the Dutch 19% tax rate)，while using VAT deferral can save about 285 euros of three-month interest on this fund (calculated at an annualized rate of 4.5%). If direct transshipment is selected，the risk of container detention fees is reduced by 60%，saving about 12,000 euros of potential costs per year. On the whole，the optimized model can increase the net profit margin of enterprises by about 8%-12%.
Note that during operation，enterprises must strictly abide by the transshipment rules of Dutch customs to ensure that the cargo is not sold in the local Dutch market，otherwise they will face the risk of VAT back payment and fines. It is recommended to cooperate with professional foreign trade agency companies to obtain support from local tax representatives and document review services，so as to ensure full-link compliance.
Cindy ChenYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Key Account ManagerStart a Chat
From the perspective of customs valuation, the most common problem in Netherlands transshipment trade is the inconsistency between declared value and actual value. In 2026, Dutch customs will adopt stricter valuation standards for transshipped cargo.
If the declared value is 10% lower than the fair market value, a valuation dispute will be triggered. Enterprises need to prepare complete transaction vouchers, including purchase contracts, payment receipts, original factory invoices, etc., to prove the rationality of the declared value.
In addition, the HS code of transshipped cargo must be accurately classified. Incorrect coding may lead to wrong application of tariff rates, and even be identified as smuggling. It is recommended to entrust a professional institution to pre-classify the HS code before declaration to ensure compliance.
Evelyn LiYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Cross-border Compliance SupervisorStart a Chat
Cargo right control is the core of Netherlands transshipment trade. Enterprises should choose "order bill of lading" instead of "straight bill of lading", so as to flexibly transfer the cargo right during transshipment. The free storage period at the Port of Rotterdam is usually 7 days, and container detention fees are calculated from the 8th day, which is about 50-100 euros per TEU per day.
To avoid container detention fees, enterprises need to confirm the cargo arrival time with the logistics provider in advance and arrange the connection of subsequent transportation tools. In addition, the Port of Rotterdam will launch the "Intelligent Transshipment System" in 2026, through which enterprises can track the cargo status in real time and give early warning of potential problems. It is recommended to use this system first.
Linda GaoYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Documentation SupervisorStart a Chat
The focus of tax planning in Netherlands transshipment trade is to avoid double taxation. According to the EU VAT Directive, transshipped cargo can enjoy zero tax rate treatment if it is transshipped within the EU, provided that two conditions are met: "the cargo is not consumed within the Netherlands" and "there is a complete transshipment certificate".
Enterprises need to keep all transshipment documents, including transportation contracts, copies of bills of lading, destination customs declaration forms, etc., for inspection by tax authorities. In addition, related party transaction pricing must comply with the arm's length principle, so as to avoid unreasonable pricing leading to profit adjustment by the Dutch tax authority and additional tax burden.
Eric ZhouYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Manager of Foreign Exchange & Tax RebatesStart a Chat
Cross-border payment and receipt compliance is a key link in Netherlands transshipment trade. When collecting and paying foreign exchange, enterprises need to ensure that the transaction remarks in the SWIFT message are consistent with the actual business, such as marking "transshipment trade payment" instead of "general trade payment".
In 2026, De Nederlandsche Bank will strengthen the supervision of offshore accounts, and enterprises need to regularly provide relevant documents of transshipment trade to banks to prove the compliance of capital flow. In addition, using the CIPS system for RMB cross-border payment can reduce the risk of exchange rate fluctuation and enjoy faster account arrival services. It is recommended that qualified enterprises give priority to this option.
Michael ZhangYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Customs Declaration & Compliance ExpertStart a Chat
Soft clauses in letters of credit are common legal risk points in Netherlands transshipment trade. For example, if the letter of credit stipulates that "the bill of lading must show the local consignee in the Netherlands", it may lead to loss of cargo right, as the local consignee can pick up the cargo with the bill of lading.
Enterprises should clearly specify in the letter of credit clauses that "the consignee on the bill of lading is only indicative", and require the freight forwarding company to issue a "letter of guarantee against release of cargo without original bill of lading" to ensure the safety of cargo right. In addition, the force majeure clause should cover all possible scenarios. For example, if cargo is detained at the port due to a port strike, the division of responsibilities should be agreed in the contract to avoid disputes.
Daniel XuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Director of Import & Export OperationsStart a Chat
The inspection rate of transshipped cargo by Dutch customs is about 5%-8%, mainly focusing on high-value and sensitive cargo. During inspection, the customs will focus on checking whether the product name and quantity of the cargo are consistent with the documents, and whether the seal is intact. Enterprises need to note that the seal number must be completely consistent with the number on the bill of lading.
If the seal is damaged, they should immediately contact the freight forwarding company to re-seal and issue a certificate. In addition, skills for machine inspection are important. When packing, high-value cargo should be placed in the middle of the container to avoid container unpacking inspection triggered by abnormal machine inspection results, so as to save inspection time.
Kevin LinYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Trade Solutions ManagerStart a Chat
The packaging of transshipped cargo must meet international transportation standards, especially for fragile products such as electronic products. The climate at the Port of Rotterdam is humid, so the packaging must have moisture-proof function.
It is recommended to wrap the cargo with waterproof film and place desiccant in the container. For dangerous goods, it is necessary to strictly abide by the UN dangerous goods packaging regulations, issue formal MSDS reports, and mark clear danger signs on the packaging.
In addition, the selection of buffer packaging materials is critical. Using pearl cotton instead of foam plastic can not only reduce the volume but also improve the protection effect, reducing the risk of damage during transportation.
Lucas LiuYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Operations ConsultantStart a Chat
When carrying out Netherlands transshipment trade, export tax rebate of enterprises must meet the "four flows consistency" principle, that is, capital flow, cargo flow, document flow and invoice flow are completely matched. Note that the declaration time for export tax rebate of transshipped cargo is within 90 days after the cargo departs, and no declaration can be made after the deadline.
In addition, tax correspondence verification is a common review link. Enterprises need to prepare purchase contracts, transportation documents, bank receipts and other documents in advance to ensure the smooth passing of the correspondence verification. It is recommended to cooperate with a professional tax rebate agency to standardize document management and avoid tax rebate failure caused by incomplete documents.