A magnificent replica of 'Amsterdam', an 18th Century vessel that belonged to the Dutch East India Company (VOC), the global trading enterprise, set sail again, briefly, a few years ago at a tall ships festival in Amsterdam evoking memories of the trading monopoly's commercial voyages to distant ports.
Similarly, this month last year, colourful floats joined a parade on the island of Deshima on Nagasaki Bay to mark the 400th anniversary of the vessel 'Liefde' (love), which limped into Usuki Bay on the west coast of Japan, having set sail in June 1598 with a fleet of five ships to chart a shorter passage to Indonesia. The other ships never made it, but the Liefde's arrival set in motion Netherlands-Japan relations.
Discovering new ports of call and seeking new challenges and opportunities is the fire than burns in the hearts of modern-day commercial explorers, Jochum Haakma, the Consul- General of the Netherlands, says pointing to the success of companies like Permanento, a venture begun by two brothers Rob and Tom Ros, to manufacture self-adhesive components used in mobile phones, cars, and medical and optical products.
Permanento was recently awarded the Cathay Pacific China Trader Award 2000, an annual accolade which recognises enterprising small businesses entering the China market.
Dutch small and medium-sized businesses are 'doing good business in Hong Kong and China,' says Mr Haakma, apart from 'well-known Dutch multinationals in consumer goods, transport, information technology and financial services'.
The award, now in its fifth year, is organised by Cathay Pacific, the China Chamber of the Netherlands Centre for Trade Promotion (Nederlands Centrum Voor Handelsbevordering) and Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
Referring to Permanento, the jury observed that its adhesive components were 'so special that the company had to develop the machines that make those products themselves'.