Category: Shipping

Business vs. security

Chancellor Scholz has got his way: a Chinese state-owned company may acquire a stake in Germany's critical maritime infrastructure. Is the economic opportunity worth the risk of exerting influence? Contrary to the reservations of all six ministries involved, above all the lead ministry for economic affairs and the Foreign Office, as well as warnings from Brussels and the secret services, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz has decided to allow the port subsidiary of the Chinese maritime state-owned group Cosco to retain a stake in the Tollerort container terminal of the Hamburg port logistics company HHLA - a "word of power" from the Chancellor using his authority to issue directives. Between HHLA and Cosco Shipping Ports Limited (CSPL), the participation in the Container Terminal Tollerort was...

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Cosco aims for the top spot

Cosco Shipping, the shipping arm of China's largest maritime conglomerate and currently number four among the world's largest container liner shipping companies, is clearly aiming for the top. According to Chinese statements, the company aims to become the world's largest container shipping company. A newbuilding programme worth USD 4.9 billion is planned for 32 ships of various sizes and a total slot capacity of 580,000 TEU. This involves both megamax carriers with slots for 23,000 TEU and medium-sized units with a capacity of 15,000 TEU each. According to reports, Cosco is already in negotiations with the shipbuilding group Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry, which also belongs to the group...

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Building mega yachts as an alternative

In the search for alternatives to merchant ship orders, which are almost impossible to acquire, and the lack of orders for government and naval vessels, some German shipyards have created another mainstay for themselves by building yachts and, where possible, mega-yachts. Here are two examples: Meyer Werft, a newcomer in this highly complex business sector, presented details of its large One 50 project, which breaks all boundaries, at this year's Monaco Yacht Show, which is highly regarded in financially powerful circles. At 150 metres long and 20 metres wide, the yacht, if the ship can still be described as such, is...

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Concerned about Germany as a maritime location

There are increasing calls from the two important pillars of the German maritime industry, shipbuilding and shipping, for more support from politicians. IG Metall Küste, for example, expects the federal government to ensure that the announced orders for research and naval vessels create work at the shipyards as quickly as possible and that the procurement offices do not get lost in the procurement jungle. The 32nd shipbuilding survey carried out by IG Metall Küste among the works councils of 42 German shipyards revealed that the number of employees at the shipyards had reached its lowest level to date at 14,027 - a decline of almost 16 per cent compared to the previous year....

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Training centre for federal police at sea

After four years of planning and construction and an investment of eleven million euros, the Federal Maritime Police have put a new training centre into operation in Bad Bramstedt. Commanders and junior nautical officers can now train on four virtual ship bridges and experience all weather, current and maritime traffic situations realistically. The first training courses have been using the new facility since October. It is also possible to train the approaching and setting down of police forces on moving ships at sea and the landing of a helicopter on the deck of one of the large Potsdam-class rescue ships. The four ship bridges of the training centre can be interconnected in order to demonstrate the handling of...

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