Page 38: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2025)

SHIPBUILDING | GERMANY © MEYER WERFT

GERMANY’S GERMANY’S

MARITIME SECTOR: MARITIME SECTOR:

STEADY GROWTH AMID

GLOBAL HEADWINDS

Order intake, exports, and green technology demand fuel con? dence for 2025.

ermany’s maritime equipment and offshore sup-

Aftermarket Services Hold Steady ply industry is defying global uncertainty, posting

After-sales services, including maintenance, repair, and steady growth in 2024 and setting an optimistic spare parts, continue to play a key role in the sector’s perfor-

Gcourse for 2025, according to new ? gures released mance, accounting for 27% of total revenues in 2024, a consis- by the VDMA Marine Equipment and Systems Association.

tency that highlights the long-term nature of global shipping

With an average turnover increase of 5.5% in 2024, Ger- partnerships and the growing importance of lifecycle support man maritime suppliers are proving resilient in the face of in an era of digitalization and performance optimization.

global supply chain volatility, geopolitical tensions, and a

Employment in the sector also showed modest gains, with ? ercely competitive international market. The export share of the total workforce growing by 1.2% year-over-year to 65,000 the industry remains robust at 81%, underscoring Germany’s as of mid-2025. While this is below the pace of revenue enduring reputation for high-quality marine engineering and growth, it re? ects ongoing productivity improvements and the its strong integration into global shipbuilding supply chains.

introduction of more automated and digital solutions.

“The industry is continuing its positive development de- spite global challenges,” said Martin Johannsmann, Managing

Solid Order Book Signals Con? dence

Director of SKF Marine GmbH and Chairman of the Board of

A critical driver of the upbeat outlook is the sustained strength

VDMA’s AG Marine Equipment and Systems. “The export in new order intake. The industry posted a 4.6% average in- strength is proof of our international competitiveness and the crease in incoming orders in 2024—building on two years of al- high demand for maritime solutions.” ready elevated demand. Looking ahead, nearly 80% of VDMA 38 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • August 2025

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