Political Pressure

Shipowners in Germany are keeping up pressure on the government to support the deployment of sovereign armed forces aboard domestic-flagged vessels.

Following the latest meeting with owners, trade union, police forces and others, the government’s national maritime co-ordinator, Hans-Joachim Otto, has rejected the call for federal troops on ships.

However he is now reportedly open to the idea of private armed forces onboard and will be enacting the necessary changes to German legislation to allow shipowners to take the steps that they deem necessary.