The growth was mainly due to the increase in transported coal and goods in containers.
In 2022, 44,5 million tons of goods will be transported by rail. That is 4,3 percent more than a year earlier, and at the same time the highest transported weight ever measured by Statistics Netherlands. The growth was mainly due to the increase in transported coal and goods in containers. This is reported by Statistics Netherlands on the basis of new figures.
More goods transported in containers
Almost 44 percent of the total weight of goods transported by train is transported in containers. Compared to 2021, the amount of goods in containers increased in 2022 by 4,7 percent to 19,6 million. The number of containers transported increased by 3,7 percent. Many goods go to and from the Netherlands in containers from and to Germany and Italy. Incoming and outgoing goods in containers from and to these countries grew by 2022 and 12,0 percent respectively in 5,6.
More coal and less metal ores transported
After goods in containers, coal and metal ores are the most transported by Dutch rail. Coal transport increased by 2022 percent in 28,6 compared to a year earlier. Other important types of goods were transported less by rail than a year earlier. The transport of metal ores decreased by 10,6 percent and the amount of transported metals, including steel, decreased by 16,1 percent. The transport of chemical products fell slightly by 1,5 percent.
Both domestic and international transport increased
Most goods transported by rail are loaded in the Netherlands and unloaded abroad. This flow of goods increased to 27,2 million tonnes in 2022, 5,6 percent more than a year earlier. Exports of coal to Germany in particular increased by 27,8 percent. The supply of goods, 10,5 million tonnes, increased by 2,8 percent.
This increase mainly consisted of goods in containers (+ 2,9 percent) and agricultural, forestry and fishery products that are transported in bulk (+ 35,6 percent). The latter group includes grain and maize. The transit of goods, i.e. the transport between two foreign places via the Dutch railway, and domestic transport have also increased in the past year, by 3,1 percent and 0,6 percent respectively, according to the CBS.
