Hanse Ship Management (HSM) is pushing ahead with further consolidation in the feeder containership sector after already bringing together more than a dozen ship operators in Germany, says managing director Arnd Becker.

But unlike much of what is happening in the country, the consolidation has not been pushed by banks and is entirely voluntary.

For many of those that have nailed their colours to the HSM mast, it is a matter of survival.

Most of the members in Stade-based HSM are deemed too small to survive on their own in a world of ever larger container shipping alliances.

Grouping of 13 shipowners

The result is that HSM has grown to accommodate 13 shipowners with around 86 feeder boxships and multipurpose vessels, up from just four owners with 22 ships in 2012.

That makes it the the largest grouping of companies in Lower Saxony.

“Shipowners were too small to survive this nasty situation, so we joined forces together, to create something new and show the industry we are able to change,” says Becker.

He adds that they see strength in a larger grouping that provides combined purchasing power for investments, as well as “a good knowledge pool” for the sharing of information.

Working together with investments is designed to result in cost savings on insurance, replacement pieces, lubricants, among others.

Becker argues that the shipping sector is still in crisis and his family are keen proponents of alliances and ventures in other sectors of the industry.

Family company Bernd Becker Shipmanagement is a founding partner in Jebsen Shipping Partners, a shipowning and managing venture that has grown since its formation in 2015 to control a fleet of 20 feederships.

Jebsen shareholders

Shareholders in Jebsen Shipping comprise the Becker family together with Jork-based Reederei Kahrs, Lubeck-based Reederei Boehe (Lubeca Marine) and MF Jebsen Group.

Jebsen Shipping has also been involved in commercial consolidation moves as a founding partner in the newly formed Arkon Allied Container.

This combines the chartering operations of five feeder containership owners with a fleet of around 90 boxships from feeder sizes up to around 5,000 teu. The other partners are HS Schiffahrts, Reederei Jungerhans, Wessels Reederei and Nordic Hamburg.

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The consolidation that is taking place on many fronts follows several financially tough years during which Becker concedes that his own company suffered.

He says his family wants to grow the business with a focus on its traditional container feeder business. While the company has looked at other sectors, he feels that prices are too high in MPP and dry bulk.

Talks have also taken place with charterers over the possibility of installing scrubbers on vessels, but Becker says this would be worthwhile for long-term projects.