The economic activities related to the North Sea do not all take place on the North Sea itself. Sea ports and the coastal area also have strong economic ties with the North Sea. The North Sea activities have an effect on employment in the rest of the Dutch economy as well. For instance, the activities in the ports provide jobs in the transport sector.

In 2007 some 14 thousand employees worked at sea in shipping, fishing, and oil and gas extraction. Most full-time jobs, 192 thousand, are tied to sea ports. These are jobs in the manufacturing industries, transport, storage and wholesale trade. Coastal areas also benefit from the proximity of the North Sea, for instance through tourism. Hotels and restaurants, the retail trade, culture and sports employed about 40 thousand people in the coastal areas.

Port of Rotterdam provides most jobs
The Port of Rotterdam provides 86 thousand fulltime jobs, directly and indirectly. That is 45 percent of total unemployment related to the Dutch sea ports. The transhipment companies, the manufacturing industry, and the wholesale trade play a key role in ports. Indirectly, the transport sector plays a crucial role as well because these companies transport all cargo to the hinterland.

The Netherlands just escaped a natural disaster from a meteor. Many Dutch people in the Netherlands witnessed a large “fireball” meteor in the sky. In the north people heard a bang and saw flashes. Also on Twitter people reported on the phenomenon.

The Groningen astronomical Theo Jurriens confirmed that this was a very bright meteor and at one point burst into three pieces.

About one hundred reports have been received from people who have seen the fireball. From the north of the Netherlands there are reports of people who heard rumblings when the meteor passed by and buildings were shaking.

Several pictures of the fireball meteor have been posted on the internet.

Update:
The meteor exploded over northern Netherlands and the North Sea and caused an explosion that made shock waves.

The blast may have been caused by the meteor or the explosion because it was faster than sound with a speed of over 1200 kilometer per hour. KNMI does not know which of the two is the cause, but measurements seem to indicate that it is an explosion, because signals are recorded earlier in northern than in De Bilt Netherlands.

Observations indicate that the orbit of the meteor came from south to north. Further research is being made about the precise path of the meteor.

The seismometers of the KNMI, recorded the shock waves around 19.00. The institute was mainly received reports from Rotterdam and Groningen. In Groningen, the shock wave generated vibrations on the ground.

Please leave a comment below if you have witnessed the meteor above the Netherlands.