Page 39: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2025)

SHIPBUILDING | GERMANY member companies anticipate stable or increasing order volume in 2025, with only a small minority expecting any decline.

“Almost two-thirds of VDMA members expect the market to develop positively in the medium term,” said Dr. Volker

Behrens, Managing Director of Schoenrock Hydraulik Ma- rine Systems GmbH.

Strategic Focus:

Europe, China, and Transformation

As German suppliers look to the future, several strategic themes are taking center stage: ¦European Integration: Roughly 36% of industry revenues are generated within Europe, reinforcing the importance of stable shipbuilding partnerships and intra-European cooperation.

¦China Positioning: VDMA’s recently published China policy calls for fair competition and urges the German government to strengthen domestic and EU frameworks to support European suppliers.

¦Bureaucracy Reduction: The Omnibus Regulation at the EU level has been welcomed as a long-overdue step toward reducing red tape and improving ? exibility for internationally operating SMEs.

Green Technologies and Electri? cation in Focus

One of the clearest market drivers is the transformation of the shipping industry toward sustainable technologies. Mari- time suppliers are rapidly expanding their offerings in energy- ef? cient propulsion systems, electri? cation, digital services, and intelligent integration.

“Even in our medium-sized company, the trend is clearly moving toward environmentally friendly technologies,” said

Behrens. “We are moving away from hydraulics and toward electric drives for doors on both cruise ships and naval vessels.”

This shift aligns with broader decarbonization efforts across the maritime sector, as global regulations and customer de- mand increasingly favor sustainable ship design and operation.

Infrastructure Investment

Supports Export Logistics

Finally, Germany’s special infrastructure fund—targeting overdue upgrades in roads, rail, and waterways—is also expected to play a key enabling role. Many of the industry’s export-heavy ? rms rely on ef? cient heavy-lift logistics to move components to ports and shipyards worldwide. Enhancements to this infrastruc- ture could further enhance the sector’s competitiveness.

Outlook: “Cautious Optimism”

While global shipbuilding faces headwinds, from in? ation and supply chain strain to shifting geopolitical stressors, Ger- many’s maritime suppliers appear -positioned to navigate the storm. With resilient exports, a strong order pipeline, and a deepening commitment to sustainable technology, the VDMA’s member ? rms are setting a steady course into 2025 and beyond.

Charts courtesy VDMA

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