Johannes Puckelwald
Advisor for Ports and Infrastructure
Working Paper (04/2025)
A ship is only as strong as its crew. Employment and Employment Structure in the German Maritime Sector from 2015 to 2024
Germany’s maritime sector faces increasing challenges in attracting skilled workers and young talent. To monitor employment developments within the sector, the German Maritime Centre has analysed both the employment level and employment structure across the entire maritime sector. A comprehensive, scientifically grounded database on employment trends has been developed to provide policymakers and business leaders with a reliable data foundation on current labour market issues such as demographic change, securing skilled labour, and attracting new talent.
This Working Paper presents the definitions used to characterise the maritime sector, the methodology applied to calculate employment figures, and the overall findings of the employment analysis for the period from 2015 to 2024.
The results of the study offer a comprehensive insight into employment developments in the maritime sector as well as trends in the composition of the workforce. The analysis of employee characteristics – such as occupation, age, and gender – across different sub-sectors provides valuable input for strategic workforce planning, helping to address challenges related to skills shortages and demographic change.
The Working Paper is available for download here.
