The Shipping in the 17th and 18th Centuries - Dutch Fleet-7 Inland shipping (Binnenlandse vrachtvaart)

[Anatol]

The history of inland navigation in the Low Countries near the sea is as old as that of the countries themselves. Transport over longer distances was economically impossible by raft or barge. In the Netherlands and Belgium, too, the rivers were made more suitable for towage, and numerous canals were dug, which greatly stimulated the economy.
Because maritime transport was still dangerous in the Middle Ages, inland navigation was an important alternative. A major shipping route ran through the County of Holland, connecting Flanders with the Zuiderzee and the Wadden Sea. In the 13th century, the Count of Holland granted toll rights to Gouda and Haarlem. A prescribed shipping route[2] was established through Holland, starting at Gouda and then leading via the Gouwe, the Oude Rijn, Leiden, and Haarlem to Haarlem and Spaarndam. At Spaarndam, the boats sailed onto the IJ River and on to Amsterdam and beyond. At Gouda and Spaarndam, the toll was levied for the benefit of the Count and the States of Holland. This was the only prescribed shipping route in Holland for interurban traffic. This situation would remain until the Napoleonic era.
From around 1800, Napoleon and King William I were well-known advocates, both of whom initiated extensive excavation work. For centuries, ships were powered by the wind, or pulled by horses, and sometimes by human power.
Inland shipping is the transport of goods over inland waterways such as rivers and canals using non-seaworthy vessels. It is essential for the economy by transporting dry and liquid bulk and containers, and offers a safe, cheap, and environmentally friendly alternative to road transport. The Netherlands has one of the largest fleets in Europe.
In the margin of the MS.
In addition to scheduled shipping, there were tramp skippers. Unlike scheduled shipping, these skippers sailed on random routes. The skipper set his own rates, within the margins of supply and demand, and transported bulk goods and agricultural products from one or, at most, two or three clients.
The stamps design on Ms is based on etchings by Gerrit Groenewegen (1754–1826), a Rotterdam artist best known for his seascapes and masterful ship etchings. Between 1786 and 1801, he created a series of 84 etchings, each a detailed depiction of a contemporary vessel.
Nederland 2025, (1,1,1,1,1) Ms;
Source: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binnenvaa ... ersvervoer.