Trade glossary · mechanics

Entrepôt trade

Trade through a hub port or warehouse where goods are stored and re-exported. Common in Singapore, Hong Kong, the Netherlands (Rotterdam), and the UAE.

An entrepôt is a port or city where goods can be imported, stored without paying full local duties, and re-exported. Historically a free-port arrangement, the modern equivalent is a free-trade zone. Trade statistics for entrepôt economies are dominated by transit and re-export flows rather than local consumption or production.

Examples

  • Singapore: top entrepôt for ASEAN trade.
  • Dubai (UAE): entrepôt for Middle East and East Africa.
  • Rotterdam (Netherlands): largest European container port.

Related terms

Re-exports
Goods imported into a country and then exported in the same form, without significant transformation. Inflates trade volumes for hub economies like Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Netherlands.
Transit trade
Goods that pass through a country en route to a third country, without entering the local market.