ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the flows of goods in the Rhine region as a proxy to measure the impact of the transition on the transnational connections among the different parts of the region. It considers the role of the Port of Rotterdam as the traditional seaport of the Rhine basin. The chapter explores commodity flows in the hinterland, focusing in particular on oil flows. It considers the extent of transnational connections by examining the origins and destinations of cargo flows between the Port of Rotterdam and the Rhine basin hinterland. The pattern of oil product flows from Rotterdam to West Germany corresponded closely with the development of the capacity of West German refiners, their geographical distribution and the composition of oil products produced by these refineries. The Caltex refinery was supplied with crude oil from Rotterdam, while the Speyer and Woerth facilities were supplied from southern pipelines originating in Marseille and Trieste.
