Leading names in the shipping industry have paid tribute to Peter Gast, a prominent figure in German shipbroking, who has died at the age of 89.

Oldendorff Carriers chairman Henning Oldendorff described him as a “very impressive man and a very likeable person”, while German shipowners’ association (VDR) president Alfred Hartmann spoke of Gast's role in forging closer ties between Germany and Denmark.