The development of seaborne technology is an important market for german shipbuilding. Special expertise in marine engineering and the project management are integral parts of the core compentences.
The world´s population is growing. For more and more people, a high level of prosperity is becoming a reality[ds_preview] as the global exchange of goods supports the prosperity in the world. The maritime industry plays a key role for the security of supply. The global oceans have ceased to be traffic routes only but have evolved into production sites of food, raw materials and sources to produce energy.
To award a research vessel »Ship of the Year« is the right signal. New seaborne technologies and applications result in new markets and create a reliable long-term basis for growth. Thus, »Sonne« is not only a prime example of cutting-edge research and high technology from Germany, it also paves the way for the enormous social importance of the growth market maritime industry.
Careful handling of the marine environment ranks high in Germany as this kind of growth may only be attained or secured with innovative and sustainable technology, which is efficient and environmentally friendly accordingly.
For this purpose, well-networked German shipbuilding and marine engineering industry offers excellent conditions. For maritime end-products are among the most complex man-made systems. These technical masterpieces meet the highest customer requirements worldwide – an export rate of over 70% gives proof of this fact. These end-products are being manufactured as a joint effort of a long value chain of highly specialized experts.
Project management ensures a timely and technically perfect delivery at the end, and therefore constitutes an integral part of the core competences of the German maritime industry. These also include material with superior properties, top-range components and sophisticated system solutions – integrated into a work of art. These technical masterpieces meet the most demanding needs of customers, because they emerge as a common service of a long value chain of highly specialized experts. In this respect Germany provides expertise in width and in depth like no other country. With a total of approximately 2,800 companies, the German shipbuilding industry and marine technology generates around 18 bill. € annually and offers attractive employment to more than 80,000 highly skilled workers in a high-technology industry. The classic virtues of the middle class are the backbone of the maritime industry in Germany and justify the outstanding global reputation.
Our extraordinary commitment and a high level of investment in the education of our specialists of tomorrow provide the foundation for success. Talented young people receive intensive preparation for their future in about 20 different jobs which require training in a growing market. They become familiar with latest production know-how, often pioneering in many other industries also. To create an atmosphere where creativity meets skills, our academies and research institutions teach to the highest level of expertise.
Convincing examples of innovative power and versatility of the German shipbuilding industry and marine technology may be found in the compilation of newbuildings delivered in 2014 the present special issue presents again this year.
Reinhard Lüken
