Sectors

Shipping

Globalisation means that increasing volumes of goods are covering increasingly longer distances all over the world. Shipping plays a key role in meeting this increased demand for transport.

Even though the financial and economic crisis of 2009 has resulted in falling orders, freight rates are negative and fewer ships are being built, shipping is expected to grow again after 2010. Currently, a 0.5 per cent fall in container traffic in comparison to 2008 is predicted, but between 2010 and 2013 annual growth of 6 per cent is expected again.

Undoubtedly, globalisation and the expansion of the worldwide exchange of goods will continue, especially thanks to the great need to catch up on the Asian consumer markets. Since this will require newly built tonnage, the shipping industry sees a positive development in the medium to long term. In the meantime, the Federal Government measures, which created explicit means for better shipbuilding construction time and final ship financing via the KfW (German reconstruction loan corporation) in the two economic packages, will cushion the effects of the crisis. Shipping remains a growing economic sector.

There are however also opportunities for the future in an expanded product range. For example, the maritime industry sees potential for growth in special shipbuilding, the offshore sector and in marine technology – especially with regard to extracting energy and raw materials.

Ship funds are one of the most important means of finance for shipping; issuing houses use them to enable private investors to acquire a share in ships and thus help to finance ship construction. TPW has specialised in this market. We offer fund initiators special services so that they can also operate successfully on the crisis-shaken market.