German shipping companies are concerned about the geopolitical and trade situation in the world. The President of the German Shipowners' Association (VDR), Gabi Bornheim, said at the beginning of the year that around 62 per cent of German exports and 60 per cent of imports are handled by sea and emphasised that without a strong, independent merchant shipping industry,...
On 5 September 2025, the shipyard celebrated its anniversary with a ceremony and guests from politics, business and the maritime industry. The company presented its entrepreneurial milestones, technical pioneering work and the transformation of a medium-sized company into an international speciality shipbuilder. "Sometimes the sea is as smooth as glass, sometimes you fight against the...
The small Nordfriesland Maritime Museum in Husum is home to all kinds of exhibits about local seafaring in past centuries. If you ever find yourself in the picturesque North Sea town of Husum, you should definitely visit the local maritime museum. Housed in a historic brick building not far from the inland harbour, seafaring enthusiasts will find everything here to make their hearts beat faster....
15 beer tables are part of the standard equipment for every volunteer fire brigade in Bavaria. The average lifespan of such a beer table is 30 years. In the days when the navy was still responsible for its own armour, the service life of a frigate was also calculated at around 30 years. Since the magic number of destroyers...
The fragile ecosystems of the oceans in particular are suffering from human intervention. Despite this, only declarations of intent remain from this year's UN Ocean Conference. In June 2025, the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC-3) was held in Nice with 175 UN member states, following New York in 2017 and Lisbon in 2022. Around 60 statesmen or high-ranking members of government took part in the...
Friedrich Merz has made his inaugural visit to the navy. On board, he was impressed by their capabilities and warned against Russia. Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz first visited the naval command in Rostock on 28 August. Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack received him in the Hanseatic city on the Warnow estuary. Then flew...
In view of the growing Chinese threat, the Japanese armed forces have been developing their own amphibious capabilities for several years. A naval infantry brigade has now reached full operational readiness in spring 2024. In view of Japan's role in the Second World War, the constitution that came into force on 3 May 1947 obliges the country to promote an international...
Since the RGM/UGM-109B was decommissioned in 1994, all of the US Navy's Tomahawk cruise missiles have been designed to engage land targets. The Tomahawk Block Va is now intended to close this capability gap. Since the introduction of the Tomahawk cruise missile in 1983, different variants of the weapon system have been developed. The latest configuration is designated RGM/UGM-109M Tomahawk Block V....
Canada begins construction of the new River class. This is the Canadian Navy's largest and most expensive procurement programme since the end of the Second World War. Ottawa wants to acquire a total of 15 River class destroyers to replace the four Iroquois destroyers (already decommissioned) and the 12 River class frigates still in service.
The second stage of watch officer training focuses on deployment in a complex environment. After all, a wrong decision in combat has serious consequences for the ship and crew. "FLASH! Missile release on starboard side, time on top in two minutes to minute zero-nine, threat side becomes starboard side!" Without having to think, speak...
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