Germany remains one of the world's most influential maritime nations. Home to leading shipowners, operators, ports, shipyards and equipment suppliers, it sits at the centre of many of the decisions shaping shipping's future. Yet at a time when shipping is increasingly global and digital, one factor continues to matter: local expertise.
Jens Grunenberg, Lloyd’s Register’s Germany Commercial Manager, discusses why local expertise remains critical in an increasingly global industry, how German maritime businesses are navigating rapid change, and why close relationships continue to matter when making complex technical and commercial decisions.
Germany is home to globally connected shipping companies and access to expertise from around the world. Why does local presence still matter?
What we have done is strengthen and scale up our German office. We are increasing our local presence while working within LR's global network. That means German customers can access all of our global expertise, but delivered through people who they know and trust.
In the heart of Hamburg, which is also central to Europe's maritime industry, German customers have a German contact and the German office remains the main point of contact for them in all regards. Even though we have a global structure, the German office is still a key function and the first point of contact for any German client.
We are close to the market. We are close to shipowners and managers. Sometimes we are only a mile away from major clients. We are not remote. We are there in person and can meet customers face to face.
Our Hamburg office serves as far more than simply a regional outpost. We have all of our surveyors linked to the German office, whether they are operating in north-east Germany or north-west Germany. We have our machinery equipment department here in Hamburg, our account managers here and our new construction links here.
Everything in regard to new construction goes via the Hamburg office. We have people focused on supporting German owners that may be building vessels in Asia or elsewhere in the world, which is quite normal today. We also have dedicated yard account managers and representatives responsible for German shipyards, such as Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft and other major yards."
We have strengthened those capabilities because German customers want to know there is somebody local who understands their business and can connect them into the wider global organisation when they need specialist support."
What are the biggest challenges German shipowners and operators are facing today?
You can see it every day in the news. There is a lot of global friction at the moment. We see tensions in the Middle East, we see the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and all of this is impacting and influencing the maritime industry.
These pressures are driving costs, fuel costs in particular. Naturally, everyone wants to become more energy efficient. Everyone wants to reduce fuel consumption and reduce operating costs. Energy efficiency is definitely one of the biggest drivers we are seeing across the market.
Regulatory pressure is also adding another layer of complexity. We have a lot of decarbonisation measures coming through. We are being required by IMO to reduce emissions and invest in new fuels that are more environmentally friendly. There are deadlines that need to be achieved, which means owners have to make important decisions now.
Every new fuel means new safety regulations. Every new fuel means new approaches, additional work and more risk assessments. The way we have worked for many years is changing dramatically and it is changing very quickly.
There are still a lot of question marks around what the right solutions are. Owners ask, 'How can I achieve this? How can I manage this transition?' If you are operating a large fleet, these are significant investment decisions that cannot be taken lightly.
LR’s strength is that we have three product portfolios. We are class, advisory and digital. Those three areas working together provide extremely strong support for our customers.
Why is local expertise especially important when helping customers navigate decarbonisation, digitalisation and energy efficiency?
There is so much change happening at once. New regulations, new fuels, new technologies and new requirements are arriving much faster than we have ever seen before.
When you are dealing with that level of change, you are looking for a local contact that you can talk to face to face. We are sitting right in the heart of Hamburg, which means we can easily have those face-to-face conversations with our customers, whether that is Hapag-Lloyd, Peter Döhle or many others across the German maritime community.
While digital communication has become part of day-to-day business, I believe personal engagement remains critical. It is great that we can have Teams conversations and digital meetings, but walking into an office and speaking to someone face to face is still very different.
German owners and managers really value that. Having German-speaking colleagues who understand the local culture and can communicate in the customer's own language is a significant advantage. In such an international industry, that local connection and cultural understanding is something customers still highly appreciate.
Being local to the companies and local to the clients is really a great asset. It helps build trust and makes it easier to support customers through difficult decisions.
How do you help customers navigate uncertainty and make informed decisions?
This journey can only be achieved as a team. Customers need colleagues, partners and joint approaches. Nobody can make this transition alone.
LR’s strength is that we have three product portfolios. We are class, advisory and digital. Those three areas working together provide extremely strong support for our customers.
From the advisory side we can carry out risk assessments, investigations and support business decisions. We can help an owner understand whether a future investment in a different fuel makes sense and what the implications might be.
Alongside that, we have digital solutions that help improve energy efficiency, fleet performance, crew management and technical management. That means customers can access support across multiple areas through a single organisation.
This joined-up approach is becoming a key differentiator. As a shipowner or manager, it is difficult to make this journey completely alone. There is always new technology, new regulation and new information emerging. Organisations naturally have limitations within their own teams.
But we have the experience, we have the data and we have the expertise across class, advisory and digital. Bringing those three elements together allows us to support customers throughout the entire process.
We can be connected to a vessel through digital solutions, support the owner through advisory services and provide classification expertise as well. That combination is unique.
Looking ahead, why is Germany such an important maritime market?
Germany has always been a very significant player in global shipping. We have major shipping companies, major ports, suppliers, technology providers and shipyards. We have companies like Hapag-Lloyd and Oldendorff. Hamburg is one of the largest ports in Europe. Bremerhaven is one of the largest car ports in Europe.
For me, Germany's importance extends beyond vessel ownership alone. When we talk about Germany as a maritime hub, we are not only talking about shipowners. We are talking about suppliers, equipment manufacturers, shipyards, logistics providers and ports. There is a very wide maritime ecosystem here.
We have so many suppliers connected to the maritime industry and several ports that are crucial to global logistics. There is a lot happening around shipping in Germany, and that is what makes it such an important market. I believe local access will remain a critical part of serving that market.
We are extremely close to our clients. They know where to find us. We can sit down together and discuss challenges directly. Customers can walk through the door and speak with us.
In today's world, personal relationships still matter. Being able to meet face to face, speak the same language and build trusted relationships remains a very strong asset.
That breadth creates opportunities, but it also means businesses are managing change across an increasingly diverse and interconnected supply chain.
