Shipowners have called on Germany’s state-owned development bank to help alleviate financial problems caused by the spread of the coronavirus.

The KfW Group, which was formed after World War 2 as part of the Marshall Plan, has traditionally helped German shipbuilders with financing for exports of shipbuilding orders.

But the economic impact of Covid-19 has led German shipowners to seek the bank's support in helping them deal with more pressing financial problems.