German News

On January 1, 2026, Roland Schwandt took over as CEO of SCHOTTEL GmbH from Stefan Kaul as part of an orderly succession plan. Christian Bock was appointed Deputy CEO. In the future, Stefan Kaul will focus on production and materials management for the German production facilities in Dörth and Wismar and will continue to support the new management with his many years of experience.The succession plan was initiated early on by Stefan Kaul and coordinated with all parties involved.

This past year won’t soon be forgotten. In 2025, conventional thinking about economics and investor behavior was frequently challenged, as dramatic changes in technology, energy and geopolitics drove markets in often unexpected ways.As the clock turns to 2026, here are 8 general market movers that can help explain what happened in 2025 and what it might mean for 2026 and beyond.1. Trade TurmoilPresident Donald Trump’s "America First" agenda proved to be a key market driver in 2025 – particularly in the first half of the year – as the U.S.

A majority of German business associations expect job cuts in 2026 as the country's economic crisis persists, with industry hit hardest by global protectionism and weak exports, a survey by the German Economic Institute IW showed on Monday.Of 46 business associations surveyed, 22 anticipate workforce reductions next year. Only nine expect to increase hiring and 15 foresee stable employment levels.The automotive, paper and textile industries are among those expecting production declines.

If 2025 proved anything for Germany’s shipbuilding and marine equipment sector, it is that the industry retains both resilience and relevance, even amid geopolitical turbulence. According to The Association for Shipbuilding and Marine Technology (VSM), the year closed with strong order activity, renewed investor confidence and a clear signal that German yards and suppliers remain essential to Europe’s maritime industrial base.One of the year’s most tangible confidence boosters came early.

Finnish engineering group Wärtsilä has agreed to divest its Gas Solutions business to German private equity investor Mutares SE & Co. KGaA, continuing its efforts to streamline operations and unlock value from its portfolio.Gas Solutions, which operates globally across the gas value chain, provides systems and lifecycle services for maritime gas handling, inert gas systems, gas-to-power solutions, liquefaction and biogas applications. The unit generated annual revenue of around $350 million (€300 million) in 2024…

British defence, marine and industrial firm Inocea Group is in talks to buy warship builder German Naval Yards Kiel (GNYK), a person familiar with the matter said, highlighting growing demand for defence assets fuelled by geopolitical tensions.The interest suggests bidding competition for GNYK, given the CEO of Germany's TKMS said last week the world's largest maker of non-nuclear submarines was considering a bid for the company headquartered in the same port city of Kiel.Defence companies and investors across Europe are moving to expand industrial capacity…

German Naval Yards (GNY), Swisship Yacht Projects headed by Andreas Iseli and Kristian Pascoli of Pascoli International have announced their collaboration on a new 93-meter superyacht concept “KOA” aimed at the next generation of large-superyacht owners. With a beam of 14.60 meters, a draft of 4 meters and an internal volume of approximately 3,500 GT, the project balances modern aesthetics, advanced hybrid propulsion and onboard spaces.The partnership draws on GNY’s experience in building technically ambitious yachts…

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, will deploy NexusWave on Krey Schiffahrt’s four newbuild heavy lift vessels. The deployment will enable the German ship manager to enhance operational efficiency and unlock the benefits of always-on, unlimited connectivity.Krey Schiffahrt currently manages eight modern multi-purpose heavy lift vessels and is expanding its fleet to meet evolving project cargo demands. Its new project cargo carriers have been designed for operational flexibility…

Belgian offshore contractor Jan De Nul has concluded the 2025 transport and installation campaign of three HVAC grid connection cables at TenneT’s DolWin kappa platform.When finalized, these cables will ensure the transport of almost 660 MW renewable electricity from two offshore wind farms, which is enough energy needed to power more than 800,000 German homes.Jan De Nul and partner Hellenic Cables are responsible for design, production, transport, installation and protection of three 155 kV HVAC cables with a total length of 37 km.

A consortium of GE Vernova and Singapore’s Seatrium has secured a major contract from Dutch-German grid operator TenneT to deliver the BalWin5 offshore grid connection, a 2.2 GW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system designed to bring North Sea wind power to Germany’s electricity network.BalWin5 is expected to provide enough renewable electricity to supply about 2.75 million households, forming part of Germany’s strategy to accelerate offshore wind deployment and…

In October, a German navy ship completed sensor accuracy testing at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport’s Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) for the first time, marking a milestone for both Germany and NATO’s long-running Fleet Operational Readiness Accuracy Check Sites (FORACS) program.The combat oiler Federal German Ship (FGS) Berlin (A 1411) arrived in the U.S. as part of the U.S. Navy’s 250th anniversary celebrations, but the visit also…

German warship builder TKMS expects to decide in the next few weeks on whether to buy neighbouring shipyard German Naval Yards Kiel (GNYK), its CEO Oliver Burkhard said on Monday, as the group considers expansion to meet rising demand.TKMS, which was spun off from parent Thyssenkrupp in October, already bought insolvent shipbuilder MV Werften in 2022, and a purchase of GNYK would further increase its capacity at a time when governments boost defence spending.Talks with GNYK, which is owned by France-based shipping group CMN Naval…

Dajin Heavy Industry and Germany’s Briese Schiffahrt have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop offshore wind marshalling services at a new terminal in the Port of Cuxhaven in Germany.The agreement, signed on November 26, aims to establish an international offshore wind industry hub on more than 20 hectares of newly built port area in Cuxhaven.The initiative will use Dajin’s fleet of deck carrier vessels and Briese’s global shipping network to support the handling and…

The topside and jacket structure for the Jasmund offshore substation (OSS) have embarked on the journey to Baltic Sea for installation, following the completion of construction by the HSI consortium, formed by HSM Offshore Energy, Smulders and Iv.The topside, measuring 48 metres by 33 metres and weighing about 4,500 tonnes, departed HSM Offshore Energy’s Stormpolder yard and travelled through central Rotterdam in a high-profile transit. The 72-metre-high jacket sailed from Smulders’ Vlissingen yard.Both structures are now en route to the Baltic Sea…

Van Oord has completed the transport and installation of all 21 monopiles at Iberdrola’s Windanker offshore wind farm.This achievement involved the largest monopiles Van Oord has ever installed, made possible by earlier upgrades to its heavy lift installation vessel Svanen, which is now equipped to manage next-generation offshore wind monopile foundations.Van Oord’s scope of work included loading the monopiles at the fabrication site in Spain and transporting them to the Port of Rønne, Denmark.

Germany has been putting import terminals for liquefied natural gas into operation as part of its efforts to replace piped Russian gas following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.The Brunsbuettel terminal received its floating storage regasification unit, the Hoegh Gannet, back on November 24 after upgrades, and Wilhelmshaven 2 has restarted its FSRU Excelsior ready for the coming winter months, state-appointed terminal company Deutsche Energy Terminal said.DET, which is in charge of three terminal locations…

Thordon Bearings, a leader in high-performance polymer bearing systems, has steadily carved out a niche in the global marine industry with its eco-friendly water-lubricated bearings. Unlike traditional oil or grease-based bearings, Thordon’s systems operate entirely on water, eliminating the risk of harmful pollution in marine environments. Over the years, the company has expanded its reach, offering substantial advantages to the commercial shipping, naval, and workboat markets…

The Jasmund offshore substation project for German grid operator 50Hertz, being delivered by HIS consortium, has reached a key milestone with the load-out of both its topside and jacket, marking a major step toward offshore installation in the Baltic Sea.The topside, built at HSM Offshore Energy’s Stormpolder yard in the Netherlands, measures 48 meters by 33 meters, stands 17.5 meters high and weighs about 4,500 tonnes. The matching 4,500-tonne jacket, rising 72 meters, was manufactured…

On October 7, Damen Shipyards Group delivered its latest Combi Freighter (CF) 3850 to family owned German shipping company Reederei Gerdes. The delivery of the vessel, named Holger G, took place during a ceremony at the Bason Shipyard in Vietnam. The vessel is named Holger G. Damen’s CF 3850 represents the latest generation in the shipbuilder’s cargo vessel portfolio. The vessel design has been optimized for modern operations and features optimal efficiency and maximum cargo capacity.

German container shipping firm Hapag-Lloyd on Thursday posted a 50% drop in nine-month net profit to 846 million euros ($986.6 million) and lowered the top end of its full-year earnings outlook, citing market volatility and rising costs.The company narrowed its full-year earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) forecast to between 0.5 billion and 1.0 billion euros, reducing the upper end from a previous range of 0.2 billion to 1.1 billion euros announced in its August earnings."(We) will respond agilely to changes in global trade and maintain strict cost discipline…

On October 28, 2025 U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, convened the Senate hearing “Sea Change: Reviving Commercial Shipbuilding”. This hearing examined how to modernize and accelerate U.S. commercial shipbuilding while strengthening a larger maritime industrial base.Senator Sullivan opened with a statement that included: “Our nation faces a critical strategic challenge as foreign competitors…

German navigation specialist Anschütz GmbH has founded a new subsidiary in the United States. Based in Bethesda, Maryland, Anschuetz USA Inc. aims to continue the successful tradition of “Anschütz of America” and optimize customer support for sales and service partners, commercial shipowners and shipyards, as well as government entities including the Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, Navy and Army.Anschuetz USA is developing local expertise in navigation and bridge systems for the newbuild and refit market, while also strengthening the infrastructure for after-sales and servicing.

German container shipper Hapag-Lloyd posted a 50% drop in nine-month net profit to 846 million euros ($989 million) on Thursday and lowered the top end of its full-year earnings forecast, blaming volatile markets and pledging to be strict on costs.The company revised its full-year earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) projection to between 500 million and 1 billion euros, trimming the upper end from a previous range of 200 million to 1.1 billion euros announced in its August earnings.Security concerns in the Red Sea that necessitated longer re-routings and frequent shifts in U.S.