Verband Deutscher Reeder (VDR), the shipowners' association announced today that in 2023 the size of the has remained stable as the world's seventh largest merchant fleet and leader in the container segment. At the end of 2023, the merchant fleet The German fleet consisted of a total of 1,800 ships for a total of 47 million gross tonnage compared to 1,839 ships at 31 December 2022 for 44.8 million GRT. In the field of container carriers, in 2023 German ships of this type have totalled 29 million GRT, placing it in first place in the world ranking ahead of China with 28.1 million GRT.

"The figures," commented the Director General of the VDR, Martin Kröger - show that Germany is still a of the world's most important maritime nations and plays a role in the in strong and competitive shipping. In order for this to remain The same applies in the future, he added, to the general conditions for shipping companies in Germany must be maintained attractive and stable'.

With regard to the typology of German companies in the sector VDR specified that most of the German shipping fleets are medium-sized, and 80% of these companies has less than ten vessels. In the German merchant fleet, 881 ships fly the flag of an EU country, of which 259 are flagged German, 386 Portuguese-flagged vessels, 135 Portuguese-flagged vessels Cyprus, 41 Maltese-flagged vessels and 60 vessels fly the flag of a other EU country. This means that a German ship on two sails under the flag of an EU nation.