Germany’s shipowners expressed solidarity with their French colleagues today, and called for unity from the maritime community worldwide against extremist terrorism after the Paris jihadi attacks last week.

Amid heightened tension across Europe, Alfred Hartmann, president of the German Shipowners’ Association (VDR), said international shipping was determined to stand together.

Speaking at the opening of the annual general meeting of global shipowners’ association BIMCO in Hamburg, he said: “In these frightful days following the barbaric attack on France and its citizens, please be assured that we the international maritime community are firmly on your side.”

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