German shipowners drop state aid plea - 'too many questions'

TWO German containership owners are reported to have withdrawn pleas for state aid from the federal government.

A report by London's Financial Times said that Peter Dohle Schiffahrt have withdrawn applications, after receiving "numerous questions" from officials studying the request.

Another owner Claus-Peter Offen announced earlier said it no longer planned to rely on state funding to finance its order book, according to statements made to the shipping press.

Germany's containership owners control about one third of the world's box fleet and 60 to 70 per cent of all the new ships on order.

"We've simply said: 'We leave it and we wait until the overall political situation can clarify whether help for shipping is granted,'" Jochen Dohle, president of Peter Dohle Schiffahrt told the Financial Times.

(Source: www.schednet.com)