International trade in Vittmark

This article is a work in progress. 7580 article, so 100 years old...

International trade in Vittmark has traditionally been concentrated in the larger Vittmarker coastal towns, but during the last five decades, railway hubs have started to play a more important role. Especially for trade with Aedeland, the United Royal Provinces, and the Häverist Commonwealth, railways play an ever-increasing role. Most of the international trade is organized through the so-called port concessions of Vittmark, where most Anarian nations have been designated one single place of import and export. The capital, Östervallen, does not have a port concession and functions as a trading hub for non-signatory nations. Over the last year, trade with the Bind has started to play a bigger role in Östervallen.

History

Today's trade can be traced back to the days of Skara Samverkan. Skara's history as a trading hub goes back 15 centuries, and even today, it's an important crossroad of water and landways. Skara's trading routes formed the backbone of commerce during the Greater Stoldavic Empire. After the demise of the empire, trade volumes were decimated, with trading towns falling into ruins. These were partially rebuilt during the early days of mechanization and industrialization when successor states like Dunsvik, Laxholm, Talpå, Ådalen, Östervallen, Liden, and Hagen entered a stage of modernization.

At the start of the Pan-Anarian War, which in this region falls around the mid-7520s, trade volumes boosted. But from the 7540s onward, war damage and lack of trade routes started a new period of decline, which lasted until after the war ended. The region fell into a series of complex conflicts which later have been monickered the Three Way Conflicts. Since the formation of Vittmark in 7564, a revival of trade has been started through the Port Concessions of Vittmark. Most Anarian nations got a dedicated harbor for seafaring trade, in the case of Aedeland, Helreich, and the United Royal Provinces, even through railways. The Port Concessions have led to focused investment by foreign companies and governments, with all trade to the respective nation going through the particular concession. This has boosted the export of coal, iron, and building materials, as well as the import of food, textiles, and more luxury consumer goods.

The addition of the overseas territory of Fisks in 7570 started intercontinental trade towards the east, especially the eastern coast of the Shiangti Ocean. Traders of Fisks are not bound by the requirements of the Port Concessions and can freely enter any port regardless of the origin of its cargo. This has meant a boost for trade in Östvallen, since most of Fisks' merchant fleet tends to load and unload there. In 7574, the Treaty of Ærilar posed a threat to Vittmarker export, which would become much more expensive due to the monopolization and taxation of the sea straits. But Vittmark found a way around the effects of the common tariff through separate agreements with Anisora and The Bind.

Shipping Registries

Main article: Shipping Registries of Vittmark

The Vittmarker seagoing merchant fleet is divided among several registries. It is no longer possible to fly the flag of any of the member states; these have all been replaced by the Vittmarker merchant flag in 7569. Since the entry of Fisks into the federation, there is now a second registry available. In 7572, a federal court ruled that the vessels from the Fisks registry are not bound by the Treaty of Nisipari and can therefore call any port or harbor facility in Vittmark. This has led to some shipping companies registering their fleets in Fisks. The non-territorial Fjällsta Stift has applied for the same status, opening its own registry in 7573, all of them with Nabben as the home port.

Due to the signing of the Treaty of 7574 and the implementation of the accompanying common tariff, the Vittmarker merchant fleet saw a problem arising. The federal government does not have the means to pay for the common tariff, nor does it have instruments to acquire funds for doing so. As a result, a large part of the Vittmarker fleet is converting to the open shipping registry of Anisora. It is estimated that, as of February 7575, about 30% of the merchant fleet now flies an Anisoran flag of convenience. These vessels must use the Talpei port concession in Talpå for international trade, though.

Regional Trade in Stoldavia

Vittmark has a surplus production in timber, stone, building materials, and textiles. The vast majority of this surplus is exported to nearby nations like Aedeland, Mörenburg, and Helreich, as well as United Royal Provinces and XXX. The heavily industrialized and urbanized state of Liden is not self-sufficient when it comes to food production, while domestic surplus from other states is limited. Food is imported from Aedeland, Mörenburg, and Helreich, mainly cereals, but even food products like processed meat, fish, and preserved vegetables and fruits. Aedeland and the Häverist Commonwealth also import vast quantities of iron ore and pig iron through railway corridors. In the case of the latter, there is an economic zone of cooperation in the deep south which enables Helreich to import at least 25% of the iron production surplus. A similar amount has been exported to Aedeland between 7564 and 7574, but the collapse of the main railway line has reduced the transport capacity to Aedeland considerably.

Anarian Trade

Trade with Anarian nations mainly goes through the Port Concessions in harbor towns. About 30% of the merchant fleet operated by Vittmarker owners fly the Anisoran flag of convenience. Vittmark has a surplus production in most common metals like copper, lead, aluminium, and especially iron. Apart from the regional export of iron to Mörenburg and Helreich, considerable volumes are exported to Auresia, Amberia, the Bind, and Anisora. For Amberia, Vittmark is an important source of iron, standing for 9% of all iron imports. Until 7574, Aedeland imported 11% of its iron and steel from Vittmark; today, this is only a fraction. Even though the export volumes of lead are much smaller, Vittmark is an important trade partner for this particular metal for Anisora (35% of all lead imports), Amberia (32%), and the Hu8c3a4verist Commonwealth (31%). In these three nations, copper import from Vittmark stands for 14-17% of import volumes.

Vittmark, in its turn, imports small quantities of tin from Anisora, as well as nickel from the Häverist Commonwealth and the Bind.

Intercontinental Trade

Intercontinental trade is a relatively new part of trade in Vittmark, which hasn't been playing any significant role since the fall of the Greater Stoldavic Empire. Intercontinental trade is more complex than Anarian trade since it is not bound by the port concessions. Traders from Fisks, for example, buy consumer goods in the Bind and export these first to Vittmark and through its port concessions to almost every Anarian nation. This form of trade is largely covered by a large re-labelling industry in U8c3b6stvallen, as well as the Fisks island of Gilles Karolinas. Also, merchant vessels flying the Vittmarker Fjällsta flag have started operating on these routes.

Fisks itself exports cocoa and spices to the Bind while it imports food products for the northern islands. Fisks also exports fragrance and ivory through the Bind, and it is assumed that the vast majority of the trade volumes are not Fisks' exports but the Bind's imports. Also, Fisks traders pick up dyes, incense, and gems in the Bind for further distribution in Anaria. Since the trade volumes of these goods are relatively limited, it is difficult to make a good estimate of the trade value.

There are two main trade routes. The vast majority is being shipped through a northern passage, partially through the territorial waters of the Bind. Vittmark and its overseas territory of Fisks are the only nations allowed to use this passage. This makes it possible for Vittmark to avoid the straits around Neusüdentor, thereby avoiding the common tariff. The second cargo route is by airship, where a separate federally owned carrier is operating a continuous service. Due to prevailing winds, these ships tend to make a large loop starting in Vittmark, crossing over towards Cykeria, then into the Bind airspace through two designated air corridors with the use of some designated airfields towards the northern islands of Karolinas and Henkes, onwards to the southern islands mainly Gilles, Carls, and then through New Hapsburg and Rissland or Helreich and Mörenburg back to Vittmark.