Maritime Trade and Transport - HWWI

suppliers are based in close proximity to the shipyards, although equally important
suppliers and special shipbuilders are located in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. This
means that a total of more than 90,000 employees are directly dependent upon the
de velopment of shipbuilding.
To an extent, the shipyard industry is influenced by a new orientation in production.
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the restructuring resulting from the economic
transformation process contributed not only to a considerable decline in employment,
but also to immense increases in productivity due to the modernization of production
processes. Today the formerly state-owned shipyards of eastern Germany (Aker Ostsee
Werften, Peene-Werft, Volkswerft Stralsund) are among the world’s most modern and
productive, in part as a result of their specialization on container shipbuilding. 5 The
ompetitive position of German shipyards on the world market has changed as a result of
increasing competition from Asia, including the relatively low labor costs in China. The
market position of Asian bidders is also strengthened by high subsidies, such as in South
Korean shipbuilding, where they account for up to 30% of the costs of a ship.
Despite massive competition on the world market, there are examples that show that
the German shipbuilding industry continues to be competitive, especially in niche and
high-tech shipbuilding products. German shipyards are successful with products such as
ro-ro vessels, smaller container ships, luxury yachts, cruise ships and naval vessels. Ger -
man port locations that wish to strengthen their shipbuilding industries should therefore
promote innovation, technology and training in the shipbuilding sector through their
Employment in shipbuilding (1990 = 100)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Fig. 33
Lower Saxony
Schleswig-Holstein
Germany
Hamburg
Northern Germany
Berenberg Bank · HWWI: Strategy 2030 · No. 4
➝
Mecklenburg-Western
Pomerania
Bremen
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Sources: Federal and State (Land) Statistical Offices; VSM (2005).
As of January 2003, the statistical group reporting was expanded.
57