The main cargo for many ships in northern Netherlands was turf but as villages grew along the canals and moors, a greater variety of cargoes became common. Even the "kermis" was transported via shallow water boats and many families moved themselves and their household possesions via ship.
For many villages as well as the islands off the coast, many regularly scheduled shipping lines soon developed.
In the moor areas, "Snikkefahrer" (shuttle transport) companies developed for regularly scheduled transport of both persons and freight. Cargoes were no longer limited to packaged and boxed freight but now included loose tonnage such as coal, sand, earth and similar.

Along with the cargoe ships, "wild transports" soon became common as the variety of goods expanded rapidly. By the end of the 19th and into the beginning of the 20th centuries, more and more deals were closed at "shipping exchanges." Nowhere in the Netherland were more inner-national shipping to be found then in the moor colonies around Groning.
The peat bog harvestors left behind a perfectly developed transport infrastructure. Every farm, every home and every parcel of land was reachable via ship or boat in a time when water transport was clearly the most important means of transport.
This extensive infrastructure attracted many business and factories that soon were settled along the canals.
With the population growth and the resulting increase in shipping, the demand for shipping space also grew.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, hundreds of barges were home ported at Groningen and Friesland.
In 1866, 115 barges were registered in a small place like "Wildervank", in Hoogezand/Sappemeer an additional 96.