The second Bloem Doze Nienhuis short sea study shows a cargo demand of around 1.8 billion tons between 2005 and 2012. In the same period the supply of the short sea fleet increases by 20%, from 38-47 million tons dwt. In 2005, the short sea industry witnessed a reasonable level of profitability. With an annual growth of demand by 4% and a stable fleet size, the market will reach a new balance only in 2020. The first Bloem Doze Nienhuis study signalled strongly volatile freight rates, mainly caused by a fragmented supply of tonnage. Mergers, joint-ventures and pooling agreements were suggested to improve utilization rates of vessels, as were as a better use of economies of scale. During 2012 and the first half of 2013 freight rates reached new all-time lows.