On 12 August, the Federal Cabinet published the Federal Government's fourth report on the development and future prospects of the maritime industry in Germany. This report is published every two years National Maritime Conference and describes the current situation as well as funding measures and political priorities of the Federal Government in the areas of maritime shipping and harbours, maritime industry, offshore wind energy and marine research.From the accompanying press release, we learnt that shipbuilding policy in Germany is to be given greater political visibility. On 1 June 2015, the programme "Innovative shipbuilding secures competitive jobs" programme by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). It is intended to protect the market launch of innovations and make the construction of small ships and mobile offshore structures more eligible for funding. Other important elements of the federal government's shipbuilding funding strategy are the research and development programme "Maritime Technologies for the Next Generation", the so-called CIRR interest equalisation guarantees and the federal government's export credit guarantees.
The 59-page report is well worth a read, as it reports not only on economic, ecological and technological maritime developments but also on the future of a European port policy. In view of the fact that a national port policy is already proving difficult, there seems to be reason for pragmatic optimism that meaningful synergies can be achieved at European level, despite all the difficulties.
"Fourth Report of the Federal Government on the Development and Future Prospects of the Maritime Industry in Germany" download as PDF.
The current report "Facts and figures on the maritime Dependency of the Federal Republic of Germany" (as of 2014) can be found in our section Maritime Studies & Scientific.
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Unfortunately, the sailor has overlooked the fact that of the almost 3000 ships owned by German shipowners, not even 200 sail under the German flag. If this is not a tragedy, does nobody here think of the German seafarers and their working, safety and living conditions?
A good hint! Perhaps there will be a discussion about this,
hopes
the sailor
Segler is right: the report is tough reading, but it's worth it. However, we have the impression that the overarching understanding of the security policy and thus maritime context plays a subordinate role - if at all. The topic of maritime significance for Germany is not categorised in terms of security policy! This is certainly not the main concern of the Federal Ministry of Economics; a little more maritime domain awareness would not have hurt!
Fleet is convinced
That's the way it is! Maritime security is considered, but only as a tactical challenge. There is no holistic approach to security policy, for example in the form of Germany being interested in enforcing the international legal order at sea. The consequences are probably being shied away from,
thinks to himself
the sailor
We would like to thank "Meer Verstehen" for publishing this report. It is very comprehensive and does not leave out any maritime topic. You don't have to agree with every single statement, but the economic importance of our area of interest is clear beyond any doubt. It is a must-read for speechwriters!
59 pages are, of course, hard work. I noticed a few phrases that I would like the general public to be aware of and that I would like to share with the readers of this blog:
"There are currently 2,962 merchant ships owned by German shipping companies (as at 30 June 2015), making them the fourth largest fleet in the world. In the container shipping sector, the German fleet remains in first place."
"In terms of transport performance, shipping is the most environmentally friendly mode of transport. Compared to land transport, seagoing vessels transport significantly more cargo with considerably lower emissions."
"Safe sea routes are of fundamental importance for passenger transport and international maritime trade. As a major export nation, Germany is particularly dependent on secure maritime transport routes, whether it is a question of a continuous energy supply or reliable logistics chains."
"The German seaports and inland ports are among the best transhipment centres in the world. As logistics service providers and growth drivers, they are of outstanding importance for the entire German economy. Without the services provided by the ports, Germany's role as one of the world's leading export nations would be inconceivable."
"The shipbuilding supply industry is not only located on the coast, but throughout Germany. Companies from Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Schleswig-Holstein generate the highest industry turnover nationwide with 18 % each."
Of course, this is not a summary, but merely a suggestion for reading,
thinks
the sailor