Germany is more dependent on safe sea routes than almost any other nation. The navy and shipping companies work together to ensure the reliable flow of goods across the sea.
"A good Navy is not a provocation to war. It is the surest guaranty of peace." These famous words, spoken by US President Theodore Roosevelt to the US Congress on 2 December 1902, could not be more relevant today.
Peace is the basic prerequisite for our current and future prosperity. In order to guarantee this permanently and sustainably, we need freedom and security, which in turn are guaranteed by a wide variety of players. When it comes to the maritime dimension of German security, there is no way around the German Navy. After all, it is the Navy that secures sea routes and literally "clears the way" for the German merchant fleet so that it can fulfil its obligations and reliably transport goods and raw materials to their destination.
With 90 percent of all goods transported, 11 billion tonnes of goods worth 15 trillion dollars annually, shipping dominates global trade flows. Germany is one of the most important shipping nations in the world. It currently operates the world's largest container ship fleet and the seventh largest merchant fleet in the world. In terms of the container ship fleet, Germany is ahead of China in terms of the number of container ships operated from Germany. German merchant shipping is urgently dependent on a strong navy. Only with sufficient presence and resources is it possible to be active worldwide in order to protect the sea routes that are essential for merchant shipping. A powerful navy is therefore in the best interests of German shipowners.
Shipping is unique in Germany in particular: an international leadership role is combined with a medium-sized character. More than three quarters of the shipping companies based in Germany only own ten or fewer ships. Many of these companies are family-run and deeply rooted in their location. These companies were the backbone of the sector during the shipping crisis, which lasted more than ten years. Over the last two years, a location that had previously been significantly weakened has fortunately been able to regain its stability and become fit for the future. As the world's third largest import and export country, the merchant fleet plays a key role in supplying the population with imports and in Germany's economic success thanks to exports by sea. This leading role must now be further expanded. There is no doubt that the German navy and merchant fleet are closely linked. After all, together they play a key role in shaping the maritime dimension that is so important for Germany.
Maritime sovereignty
Not least Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, which violated international law, has confronted us all with a new reality, disrupted geopolitical orders and led to a new debate on security issues as part of the turning point it heralded. Threats that were thought to be over since the end of the Cold War must now be reassessed and Germany must expand its new leadership role in Europe and the world. Maritime sovereignty is the core of a new national resilience. After all, the aim of maritime sovereignty is to supply and secure Germany with goods and energy as sustainably as possible - even in the event of a crisis. Maritime sovereignty must therefore not be reactive, but structures and processes must be created proactively and for the long term.
For Germany, the best way to prepare for changing supply requirements and future crises is to further strengthen its merchant fleet and its leading role as a leading maritime nation. This requires the navy and merchant shipping in equal measure. Together, they not only provide Germany with access to secure sea routes and thus a reliable connection to international trade, but the transition to clean energy also depends largely on functioning global supply chains for the procurement of the raw materials required for the energy transition, such as nickel, aluminium, palladium and rare earths. In order to avoid dependency on certain countries and regions, supply chains need to be diversified. Thanks to their international orientation, German shipping companies can serve these at any time. Maritime resilience requires transformative approaches in a constantly changing environment. However, this also requires a location-based and reliable shipping policy for shipping companies to be able to deal with these challenges accordingly.
Climate change also harbours changes for Germany in the area of security. The shift in agricultural patterns and migration movements due to rising temperatures will also shift global logistics chains and thus shipping routes in the long term. International trade routes are and have always been seismographs for disruptions. This applies not only to criminal activities at sea and wars, but in future especially to natural disasters. This makes it all the more important for the German government to step up its efforts to combat climate change at international level within the framework of the International Maritime Organisation. Maritime shipping is already the most efficient means of transporting goods internationally. The industry has also set itself the declared goal of operating its ships in a climate-neutral manner by 2050 at the latest.
There is no doubt that strengthening the maritime dimension is a necessary condition for Germany's strategic autonomy. It is important that merchant shipping is recognised and integrated at national level as an important and reliable partner within the framework of a national security strategy; we are dependent on the support of the German Navy in this regard. The creation of a forum for dialogue between the navy, merchant shipping and the German government on maritime security issues would be an important milestone.
Addressing maritime issues accordingly is not only in Germany's security policy and economic interests, but also in its ecological interests. Overall, the German government needs to make a clear commitment to the political and strategic importance of merchant shipping and the navy for Germany. It is high time to look at Germany from the sea and not just from land.
"When you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em: 'Certainly I can!"
These words of Roosevelt should also be a challenge and an incentive for us. The German Shipowners' Association congratulates the German Navy on its 175th anniversary and looks forward to our continued cooperation.
Irina Haesler is Head of the Brussels Representation and a member of the Executive Board of the German Shipowners' Association.
Irina Haesler
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