After a period of economic downturn the world economy has picked up again. Global trade is increasing and transport flows have recovered and are intensifying.

We are seeing a development in the flow of goods that, due partly to government sanctions on products, other markets are being found. Other flows are commencing due to climatic developments that have resulted in products no longer, or insufficiently, being produced locally. In the transporters’ camp it can be seen that, where maintenance had become bogged down in a morass, things have picked up again and new material is even being purchased.

Parallel to these developments we can see modernisations being carried out in both trade and transport. Rather grandly, we call these innovations so that they carry more weight. With changing patterns of consumption, but also due to climatic developments, products are being modified as well as completely new products being developed. Robot technology is developing dynamically. This is not only a product being developed but one that subsequently will have its own job function and will increasingly play a role in transport and logistics.

In transport, we see that businesses are procuring advanced means of transport sometimes developed to their own concept. New transport routes are being (re)developed, such as the Marco Polo Silk route. From China to Western Europe by train in half the time.

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