German Shipbuilding and Ocean Industries Association (VSM)
©VSM
The VSM represents the political and commercial interests of the German maritime industry, shipyards building ocean-going and inland waterway vessels and component suppliers.
The VSM promotes its members’ economic interests. Its responsibilities include providing members with specialist advisory and support services and representing their interests in public and vis-a-vis political institutions. The VSM also promotes technical and commercial developments in the shipbuilding and ocean industries in Germany and other countries.
The VSM also represents its members internationally. It is a member of the major European shipbuilding and ship equipment organisations.
The VSM has 113 member companies representing all areas of the maritime sector:
- 39 shipyards building ocean-going vessels
- 16 shipyards building inland waterway vessels
- 58 companies in ocean industries and component suppliers, as well as firms supplying services to shipbuilding and ocean industries.
These member companies and many other firms in the maritime sector there are about 400 suppliers of marine equipment in Germany are based on the coast as well as inland in, for instance, Bavaria, Baden-Wurttemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia.
The VSM’s work is performed by specialist committees that deal with issues affecting the shipbuilding sector, for instance in the fields of law, finance, technology and marketing. Specialist associations promote the interests of medium-sized shipyards building ocean-going vessels and builders of inland waterway craft. Other VSM organs are: the meeting of members, chairmanship, managing board and management.
