The election for the 17th state parliament of Baden-Württemberg will take place in around two weeks' time. The current Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) is not only criss-crossed by the important rivers Rhine, Neckar, Danube, Kocher, Jagst and Tauber, but also has a large number of lakes with their influence on nature, people and the economy, in addition to Lake Constance. As if that were not enough, the importance of the industry located in the state for the maritime economy and shipbuilding in particular can be expressed in concrete figures (emphasis added by the editors):
Germany's maritime supply industry (shipbuilding and offshore) is largely characterised by medium-sized companies. The industry not only produces in the coastal federal states, but also operates nationwide. Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, for example, are the leading German states in terms of maritime machinery and plant engineering, each accounting for 21 per cent of the sector's turnoverfollowed by Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia with 11 per cent each and Hamburg with 10 per cent. In addition, there is an extensive network of suppliers, tradespeople and service providers that are often more regionally focussed.
We also read in the 6th Report of the Federal Government on the Development and Future Prospects of the Maritime Industry in Germany (2019), edited by Norbert Brackmann (CDU), the German government's coordinator for the maritime industry:
Supplier industry
Suppliers contribute around 70 to 80 per cent of the value added in the construction of a ship. According to the German Engineering Federation (VDMA e. V.), around 400 companies with around 63,500 employees generated a total turnover of €10.6 billion in the German offshore and shipbuilding supply industry in 2017. The shipbuilding industry is the largest buyer of supplier products. In addition, direct deliveries to shipping companies have increased for several years in a row. Indirect deliveries via other suppliers (system or package suppliers) are also very important. The after-sales share of turnover averaged around 21 per cent in 2017.
While many German shipyards have full order books, the situation for the German supplier industry is divided, with an average decline in turnover of 4.4 per cent in 2017 compared to the previous year. It is true that 37 per cent of companies recorded growth in 2017, particularly suppliers of electrical and automation technology. On the other hand, 46 per cent of companies suffered a decline in turnover, particularly in the areas of drive technology, fluid technology and motors. Supplier companies that deliver high volumes for cruise ships in particular are benefiting from orders from European cruise shipyards. Suppliers that are heavily involved in target markets outside Europe, on the other hand, are suffering from the low number of new cargo ships being built worldwide and the price pressure that shipyards are passing on to their suppliers in the global shipbuilding market, which is distorted by overcapacity and a strong subsidisation policy.
[...] At the same time, the supplier industry is focusing more strongly on high-growth or promising market segments and developments in areas such as digitalisation, environmental technologies and efficiency improvements in the shipping and offshore industries. The regional breakdown of turnover in the maritime supply industry in 2017 by federal state is as follows Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg each accounted for 21 per cent, followed by North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein with eleven per cent each, Hamburg with ten per cent, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania six per cent, Lower Saxony and Bremen five per cent each and a total of ten per cent in the remaining eight federal states.
The country for the coast
The digitalisation of society and industry, the development and production of modern engines and new drives are therefore of fundamental importance for the maritime economy in Germany as a whole. How are the parties positioning themselves in the election campaign for the state parliament; does the maritime sector feature at all in the election campaign of a landlocked country or is it hidden under general statements?
So it's high time to take a closer look at the election programmes. Here is a selection of the passages from the parties already represented in the Baden-Württemberg state parliament that caught our eye - so that everyone can form their own judgement (the parties are responsible for the readability and subsequent implementation of their election promises):
Election programme of Alliance 90/The Greens
Freight transport
For an export-orientated state like Baden-Württemberg, freight transport is of extraordinary economic importance. Forecasts predict that this will continue to grow strongly in the future. Unfortunately, rail and inland waterway transport have hardly been able to benefit from this in the past. This will continue to have an increasing impact on the climate in the future. We want to stop this fatal trend and modernise freight transport. By 2030, every third tonne should be transported in a climate-friendly way: by rail, inland waterway, e-truck or renewable fuel.
[...] We will work vehemently to shift freight transport from road to rail and waterways. We want to vigorously implement the ambitious proposals in the Ministry of Transport's report on shifting freight transport to rail and waterways.
Economy & Labour
We are making Baden-Württemberg a showcase region for green hydrogen. It will be irreplaceable in many areas of industry in the future. We will have to use green hydrogen in steel production, in the chemical industry, for air and sea transport and in heavy goods transport. The renewable energy required for this exceeds our current electricity production many times over. This is also an opportunity for Baden-Württemberg. The technology for the production and use of green hydrogen offers our plant and mechanical engineering companies a lucrative new field of business, which we will support them in developing.
Green tech & circular economy
We are making Baden-Württemberg a showcase region for green hydrogen. It will be irreplaceable in many areas in the future. We will have to use green hydrogen in steel production, in the chemical industry, for air and sea transport and in heavy goods transport. The renewable energy required for this exceeds our current electricity production many times over. This is also an opportunity for Baden-Württemberg. The technology for the production and use of green hydrogen offers our plant and mechanical engineering companies a lucrative new field of business, which we will support them in developing.
Digitalisation & AI
Digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) are changing our entire economy. The machine is being fundamentally changed. For us as a country of mechanical engineering, this is a great opportunity, but it also brings with it a major upheaval: software is becoming a decisive factor, even in our core industries. We want to shape this upheaval in a humane way and avoid problematic side effects of digitalisation as far as possible.
[...] We were the first state government to launch a comprehensive digitalisation and AI strategy. Cyber Valley in Tübingen has become the leading research centre for artificial intelligence in Europe. We have set up an ethics advisory board to ensure that the ethical and social impact of AI is also taken into account here. We want to further expand Cyber Valley and make it the core of an ecosystem that connects companies, start-ups, research and development. We will build a broad bridge to SMEs so that they can benefit as much as possible from cutting-edge AI research made in Baden-Württemberg. We want to further strengthen Baden-Württemberg as an AI location. We are supporting numerous small and medium-sized companies in Baden-Württemberg with digitalisation through our digitalisation premium. Now we want to follow this up with an AI premium and AI consulting services. This should make it easier for AI-based solutions to find their way into everyday business life. We will also make public administration fit for the use of AI. To this end, we are examining the use of such applications - especially from the start-up sector - and implementing cross-departmental measures for the use of AI.
Source: www.gruene-bw.de (03.03.2021)
Government programme of the CDU
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is one of the key energy sources of the future. A climate-friendly economy and society will be essentially based on hydrogen and its downstream production. To achieve this, Baden-Württemberg must pull together with partners both nationally and internationally: In Baden-Württemberg, we have the research institutions that can make decisive contributions to the development of the hydrogen economy. But we also have the companies that can shape the hydrogen economy of the future, especially as producers and suppliers of machines and systems. To this end, we will continue to develop the hydrogen roadmap for Baden-Württemberg and add a hydrogen representative for the state in order to make the best possible use of the economic potential for our companies. We want to further develop the H2 Valley and win over local authorities, associations and companies for a pilot project to demonstrate what the future of hydrogen could look like in concrete terms. In the long term, we also need a hydrogen highway through the state to guarantee supply. Baden-Württemberg should become the market leader in hydrogen technology.
Ministry for Digitalisation
Digital technologies and applications are key drivers of fundamental change in all areas of life. Our aim as the CDU is to shape the digital transformation in a responsible and future-oriented manner, because for us, digitalisation is not an end in itself. The state must be able to absorb, evaluate and support the impetus coming from industry and research even faster and better. In order to do even greater justice to the increasing importance of the topic, it is urgently necessary to give the cross-cutting topic of digitalisation even more weight in the government with an independent voice in the next legislative period. In terms of content, we want to continue the success story of the Digitalisation Premium Plus: We will continue to support companies with up to 500 employees on their path to digitalisation.
Freight transport & airports
Commercial transport is dependent on an efficient transport infrastructure and modern logistics. We want to make freight transport more efficient and environmentally friendly and promote the shift from road to rail and waterways. To strengthen combined transport, we want to enable additional container terminal capacities - especially in the country's major conurbations
Source: www.cdu-bw.de (03.03.2021)
Election programme of the SPD
The SPD in Baden-Württemberg sees the transformation of our working world first and foremost as an opportunity for a sustainable economy and society, for future-proof and good work. We want to utilise this opportunity in the interests of the citizens of Baden-Württemberg. To do this, we must and want to actively shape change. For us, shaping change is a project for society as a whole:
- economic and structural policy,
- labour market policy,
- environmental and transport policy,
- science, innovation and education policy.
Skilled labour offensive
All economic sectors in Baden-Württemberg have an increased need for skilled labour. And conversely, the lack of qualified personnel is hampering growth in many areas. We want to prepare today's employees for the work of tomorrow. Employees should not only receive further training once they have lost their jobs, but while they are still employed. The extent of the economic consequences of the pandemic is still open. However, the economy is already characterised by uncertainty. There are already signs of job losses in certain sectors. Exports from Baden-Württemberg are going to many countries that have been hit harder by the crisis than we have. The coronavirus crisis is just one factor - albeit a very large one - in a working world in the midst of upheaval. Our response is to secure jobs and shape change.
Sustainable freight transport
We take road congestion, noise and climate protection seriously. That is why we want to transfer more goods from road to rail. We are consistently expanding the infrastructure for this. Baden-Württemberg's inland waterways for freight ships are to be better utilised and expanded.
Digital
We want a state-owned infrastructure company. It will develop publicly owned digital infrastructure, integrate municipal projects and attract private providers. In this way, state funds should be used to ensure that everyone has access to high-performance Internet and that investments remain in public hands. It is also important to us that the issues of broadband expansion and mobile communications are considered and dealt with together in a future state government.
Today, data is as important for economic success and social progress as ore, coal or machines were at the time of industrialisation. The state must set a good example and provide an initial spark to ensure that our society has access to large quantities of high-quality data. We want the state government to open up the treasure trove of data at all levels of administration, not only for the exchange of information between authorities, but also for research and business. Data may only be released in anonymised form.
Innovative research
Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most important fields of research of our time. It is already being used in many areas and is influencing, for example, the development of our media usage, the healthcare system and our working environment. We want to distribute AI research centres around universities and science clusters1 across the country and thus create the conditions for the establishment of further Cyber Valley regions, from which small and medium-sized enterprises in particular can benefit in terms of technology transfer. We must continue to drive forward AI research without losing sight of ethical and social aspects. Our aim is to strike a balance between the desire for technological leadership and the broad public debate on the benefits and dangers of artificial intelligence. We want to formulate an AI strategy with clear goals. We will promote and drive forward innovative regional clusters with the involvement of regional economic cycles. We see the following areas as priorities: sustainable mobility, environmental technology and resource efficiency, medical technology and life sciences, plant and mechanical engineering.
Source: www.spd-bw.de (03.03.2021)
State election programme of the FDP
Mobility
The automotive industry is currently undergoing a comprehensive structural change, as the mobility of the future will be much more diverse. Baden-Württemberg has outstanding potential in some areas of technology: in the further development of combustion engines, in battery-electric and hydrogen-based drives and in engines with synthetic fuels. This technology should not be neglected in the course of structural change in the automotive industry, not least because of the high depth of added value of hydrogen-based drive systems. Battery-electric mobility has not yet established itself. On its own, it does not offer any conclusive answers to the many unanswered questions regarding the impending effects on the labour market in Germany as an automotive location, the infrastructure and the ecological balance. The one-sided focus on electromobility to move transport away from fossil fuels is a misguided approach. The only way to achieve this goal is to be open to all technologies. That is why a far-reaching hydrogen strategy is a prerequisite for us to join the government. In order to achieve both the CO₂ reduction targets in transport and at the same time transform Baden-Württemberg's key industry, we Free Democrats are committed to a genuine openness to technology.
Freight Transport & Logistics
An efficient transport infrastructure is the backbone of a prospering economy. Efficient road, rail and waterway connections are an indispensable prerequisite for securing and developing our business locations. The resulting mobility is a prerequisite for the competitiveness of our regions and for the high quality of life of our citizens. Good transport connections are becoming increasingly important due to the growing global interdependence of markets. This will not change as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and its economic consequences. In addition, the transport industry itself is an important economic sector in its own right and makes a significant contribution to gross domestic product. In view of the economic importance of the transport industry as a fundamental basis of our prosperity, we will devote more attention to the interests of freight transport and logistics - also in terms of safety and crisis resilience. We will:
- further develop the network of terminals for combined transport. The expansion of freight distribution centres for transhipment from long-distance transport (road, rail, water) to distribution vehicles must be pursued with commitment.
- When planning large commercial settlements, give greater consideration to good links with rail transport and inland waterway transport.
- We will lobby the federal government vigorously for the swift renovation and prompt expansion of the lock facilities for 135-metre vessels on the Neckar up to Plochingen so that it can continue to be used as an efficient waterway in the future. An expansion that is not completed until after 2050 is not acceptable to us.
Economy & digital infrastructure
The digitalisation of the economy has a direct impact on Baden-Württemberg as a business location with its strong manufacturing industry. Data acquisition, data management, data evaluation and data monetisation are increasingly contributing to value creation. It is not only in the automotive and supplier industry that a major shift from hardware to software applications is taking place. Data acquisition, data storage and data analysis, from marketing to plant control (Industry 4.0), vehicle fleet operation or autonomous driving, are becoming increasingly important and decisive for competition. We believe it is necessary to develop both the digital infrastructure and our education system in the direction of IT and electronics expertise in order to positively shape the digital transformation for our country and compensate for the loss of traditional jobs in the manufacturing industry. We will:
- Establish a dedicated digitalisation ministry in which we build up and bundle expertise in order to be able to master the development of a digital administration and the challenges of a digital economy in a strategically sound and structured manner.
- Baden-Württemberg's interests in promoting digitalisation at federal and European level even more strongly.
- support digital innovation in companies, the use of artificial intelligence (AI), big data and new technologies and enable new business models with a broad range of open data.
Source: https://wahl.fdpbw.de (03.03.2021)
State election programme of the AfD
Emphasise location advantages
The state must create an active settlement and retention management system for companies. Baden-Württemberg can be proud of its opportunities as a business location. We offer excellently qualified personnel and in some cases very open-minded municipalities that are committed to companies and also offer attractive living space for citizens. These advantages are utilised far too little; they must be better communicated and further developed. Baden-Württemberg must become known worldwide as a premium location so that more companies settle in our state and create jobs.
Expand Ministry of Economic Affairs
We are committed to strengthening the economy. This includes a Ministry of Economic Affairs that does justice to the strong economic power of Baden-Württemberg. Currently, the Ministry of Economic Affairs is the smallest ministry of all. We therefore want to merge the areas of energy, transport, digitalisation and tourism in the Ministry of Economic Affairs as part of a reduction in the number of ministries. Without a prospering economy, none of the other areas are viable. Tourism is one of the largest employers in Baden-Württemberg in terms of personnel and, alongside mechanical engineering and the automotive industry, is one of the main pillars of the state.
Ending the energy transition
A comprehensive and extremely inefficient hydrogen (H2) economy is being propagated as a way out of this dilemma and in order to also be able to run vehicles and heating systems on "renewables". On the one hand, there is not enough land available in Baden-Württemberg to install the necessary energy basis of wind power and solar energy, and on the other hand, the miserable efficiency levels in hydrogen production and its transport result in exorbitant costs. The next German special approach to a hydrogen economy therefore has no chance of success, but will destroy prosperity.
No parallel infrastructures
"Alternative drive systems" are not convincing in economic, technical or ecological terms. There is therefore no reason to subsidise them with state funds. There will only be an at least theoretical nationwide possibility of "alternative drive systems" if billions of taxpayers' money are spent on parallel infrastructures to the existing petrol station infrastructure. While petrol stations were created by the market economy, "e-mobility" must be promoted politically with taxpayers' money because there is no demand for it. The AfD strictly rejects subsidies and quota regulations aimed at forcing this transformation.
AI location Baden-Württemberg
We are calling for all AI expertise to be gathered in Germany and bundled around the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) out of national interest and the pursuit of digital sovereignty. This centre should also be located in Baden-Württemberg, where a high level of computer science expertise is already available at the KIT in Karlsruhe. Investments in the field of artificial intelligence have been neglected over the last 20 years. The head start of the GAFA companies is huge. Amazon and Google alone invested around $ 30 billion in research and development in 2017, while China plans to invest almost €150 billion in AI alone by 2030. If you want to keep up with this, small-scale thinking doesn't stand a chance. Baden-Württemberg should make a strong contribution to our national endeavours in the field of AI.
Source: https://afd-bw.de (03.03.2021)
Spoilt for choice
On Sunday, 14 March 2021, the citizens of Baden-Württemberg can decide which party they want to vote for.
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