How much of the Netherlands’ trade passes through the Strait of Malacca and Singapore?

Estimated value of its trade with each partner that crosses the chokepoint; the percentage is the share of all its trade through the chokepoint, not of the pair’s trade.

1. Netherlands–China$49.2 billion · 61.1%
2. Netherlands–Japan$5.6 billion · 7%
3. Netherlands–Vietnam$5.6 billion · 7%
4. Netherlands–South Korea$4.7 billion · 5.9%
5. Netherlands–Thailand$4.4 billion · 5.4%
6. Netherlands–Singapore$2.5 billion · 3.2%
7. Netherlands–Taiwan$2.3 billion · 2.8%
8. Netherlands–Philippines$2.1 billion · 2.6%
9. Netherlands–Hong Kong$1.4 billion · 1.7%
10. Netherlands–Russia$893 million · 1.1%

The products with the highest estimated value in 2024, with their share of the total through the chokepoint.

1. Computer and office machine parts$6.5 billion · 8.1%
2. Transformers and power supplies$2.1 billion · 2.6%
3. Batteries$2 billion · 2.5%
4. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$1.8 billion · 2.2%
5. Refined petroleum$1.8 billion · 2.2%
6. Malt extract and food mixes$1.6 billion · 1.9%
7. Printers and printing machines$1.5 billion · 1.8%
8. Cars$1.3 billion · 1.7%
9. Bags, suitcases and cases$1 billion · 1.3%
10. Industrial fatty acids and oils$1 billion · 1.2%

• China–Netherlands: +741 nautical miles, ≈ 2 days more at 14 knots, via the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Suez Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar and the Strait of Dover

Estimated sailing detour, without costs, waiting or port capacity.

Rotterdam (100%)

Each port with the weight it receives from the country’s trade, based on where its GDP is generated and which coast is closest.

• See Strait of Malacca and Singapore
• the Netherlands trade

Other chokepoints it uses

• Strait of Dover · 62%
• Strait of Gibraltar · 19%
• Cape of Good Hope · 16%
• Øresund · 7%

Sources and licenses

• CEPII BACI · Licence Ouverte Etalab 2.0
• World Bank, Global Shipping Traffic Density · CC BY 4.0 (route network derived by this site)
• World Port Index (NGA) · Public domain (US Government work)
• Natural Earth · Public domain
• Kummu et al., gridded GDP · CC BY 4.0 (split between ports done by this site)

Methodology

We estimate the value crossing each chokepoint from BACI trade that travels by sea according to our mode heuristic, split between each country’s ports by where its GDP is generated and which coast is closest, and routed over our own sea network. It is an estimate, not a count of ships. It covers 99.9% of seaborne trade. The approach follows Verschuur, Lumma and Hall (Nature Communications, 2025). Data up to 2024.