Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGDProf. Uwe von Lukas Appointed to the “Maritime Future Advisory Board”
“Maritime Future Advisory Board” Officially Established for Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania
On Monday, the inaugural meeting of the “Maritime Future Advisory Board” for Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania took place in Schwerin. The 20-member body is composed of experts from across the entire maritime sector, including representatives from shipyards, the supplier industry, ports, shipping companies, universities, and research institutions. “With all its facets, the maritime economy remains an important industrial core of our state. However, the sector is currently undergoing profound structural change. We want to shape this transformation together in order to further drive economic development and employment. With the Maritime Future Advisory Board, we are addressing specific fields of action together with industry experts in order to identify concrete support measures,” said Reinhard Meyer, Minister for Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Tourism, and Labor.
Original news item: regierung-mv.de
The Maritime Future Advisory Board is chaired by Jochen Schulte, the State Government’s Industry Commissioner and Coordinator for Maritime Affairs.
Key topics of the Advisory Board include, among others, the expanded role of Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania’s ports as logistics hubs, in securing energy supply, and as sites of industrial value creation, as well as perspectives and strategic orientations in the maritime sector in the areas of hydrogen and e-fuels. In addition, the focus will also be on applied research and development in the maritime industry as a driver of innovation, as well as offshore wind energy. “It is crucial that we retain skilled workers in the maritime sector and attract new ones. We need everyone in this transformation process for the maritime economy and the future of shipbuilding in Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania,” Meyer added.
Information on the Maritime Industry in Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania
The maritime economy is one of the most important economic sectors in Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania and is of exceptional economic and employment policy significance. The term “maritime” encompasses companies and industries whose activities are directly and fundamentally connected to the sea, such as ship and boatbuilding, maritime suppliers and service providers including marine and offshore technology, ports and shipping, as well as the navy, research and education, and consulting.
In recent years, various structural changes have taken place in these individual subsectors. These include, for example, the rapid development of the cruise market up to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the steady growth of port-dependent industry, and the renewed strong focus on the expansion of offshore wind energy. Overall, the maritime economy in Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania has recorded annual growth of just over 2.5 percent since 2013.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, around 2,000 companies in Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania employed more than 37,500 people and together generated approximately €6.6 billion in revenue. Of this, more than €2.5 billion accounted for value added (according to surveys by the Rostock Chamber of Industry and Commerce – Industry Monitor, 2020 edition). Shipbuilding and its suppliers, the port economy and related industries, offshore wind energy, the navy, and maritime tourism can be considered key growth drivers, together accounting for more than 74 percent of employment effects.