Shipbuilding in the Netherlands has developed from a general sector building all kinds of crafts to a technically sophisticated sector specialising in modern custom-built ships. Many special-purpose ships, such as those built for heavy cargoes, large-scale dredging, offshore activities and difficult passages, come from Dutch shipyards. Maritime shipbuilding know-how is available across the country. The ship-repair industry in the Netherlands is the second largest in Europe. This is hardly surprising given that ship repair is an extension of port operations, that the Netherlands is situated on the world’s most crowded shipping lanes, and Rotterdam is Europe’s largest port.