During a severe winter storm at the beginning of January, the sea rescuers of the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) together with the naval aviators of the German Navy rescued a Norwegian single-handed sailor from acute distress at sea. The skipper's sailing yacht was adrift in the choppy North Sea near Helgoland, unable to manoeuvre following engine failure and damage to the mast. On...
The automation of shipping also offers opportunities and challenges for the navy. It is crucial that regulations are put in place soon to enable the operation of autonomous ships within a legally secure framework. In future, the navy must demonstrate even greater combat readiness and presence in its operating areas and be able to provide continuous situational awareness across all areas of operation.
Since its foundation 30 years ago, the Rostock-based company Tamsen Maritim has developed into a recognised and renowned German shipyard. The reestablishment of Tamsen Maritim marked the beginning of another chapter in the history of Rostock as a shipbuilding centre steeped in tradition, thus forming the basis for the successful development of today's...
New challenges await the German Navy in the far north. Even China is now emphasising its interests in the region. While 50 per cent of the Arctic clearly belongs to Russia, China also justifies its claims in the Arctic by claiming to be a "state close to the Arctic". The northernmost city in China is Mohe in the...
Trump's industry scolding and Hegseth's procurement line At the beginning of January 2026, US President Donald Trump made his criticism of the defence company Raytheon (RTX) public in a social media post. Presumably less focussed on the individual case and more as a deliberate example of a broader problem he had identified: delivery capability and priorities. The accusation: wrong industrial priorities (shareholder value), too little...
After three decades, the remaining FRANKENTHAL-class mine countermeasure units are nearing the end of their intended service life. Updates are now to enable further operation. Over the course of the 20th century, underwater explosives for combating surface vessels and submarines have been continuously developed. Along with this, the development of effective countermeasures also continued to progress. The...
London - The British Ministry of Defence is preparing to procure up to four floating dry docks for the maintenance of its nuclear-powered submarine fleet. The Ministry has confirmed that the detailed design and procurement process has yet to be finalised before a contract can be awarded. As soon as these requirements are met, the production order can be placed.
And again it has happened - another telecommunications cable between Helsinki and Tallinn in the Gulf of Finland has been damaged - another Russian-operated ship dragging anchor! The Finnish Border Guard has stopped the ship registered under the flag of the Caribbean state of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and travelling from Saint Petersburg to Haifa in Israel....
The boarding of the Very Large Crude Carrier tanker "Marinera" (VLCC, ex "Bella 1") in the North Atlantic on 7 January 2026 does not mark a routine case of maritime sanctions enforcement, but a borderline case of international regulatory policy. For the first time, a ship registered under the Russian flag was seized by US forces on the high seas - accompanied by intensive NATO reconnaissance and under quiet...
The staff expansion at the TKMS site in Wismar is progressing according to plan. On 5 January 2026, more than 140 new employees took up their posts. This means that TKMS now employs over 400 people in Wismar and is thus consistently continuing the expansion of the site. In the coming years, the shipyard will...
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