German managers and owners of product tankers are starting to rebuild after the collapse of the KG (limited partnership) system, buoyed by a wave of cautious market optimism.

Germany is best known as a major provider of boxships but tanker companies have also formed a substantial, albeit much smaller, proportion of the fleet for many decades.

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, German Tanker Shipping, John T Essberger, Harren & Partner, United Product Tankers and Chemikalien Seetransport number among the roll call of...