ASTAG warns of rising traffic congestion in Switzerland
Jun 30, 2026 at 11:38 AM
While summer vacation begins for many young people in these weeks, around 80 young individuals are setting sail. With the holiday program of the Association of German Shipowners (VDR), they board ships from member companies and experience the daily life of maritime shipping up close for several weeks.
The approximately 80 holiday sailors come from 15 federal states; additionally, three students from Austria are participating. A total of 15 female students are involved. They are sailing on 43 ships from 17 shipping companies and maritime institutions, gaining practical experience on various types of vessels.
Holger Jäde, training officer at VDR and organizer of the holiday program, explains: “Securing young talent is one of the most important future tasks for German maritime shipping. Together with our member companies, we are committed to inspiring young people early on for careers in maritime shipping. The holiday program offers a unique opportunity to find out if a career at sea is the right path.”
One of the participants is 18-year-old Laura Gallitz from Halle (Saale) in Saxony-Anhalt. This summer, she is completing her onboard internship with the Claus Peter Offen Group and is sailing on a cargo ship. She will visit ports in Portugal, Great Britain, and France before the journey ends in the Port of Hamburg. Laura Gallitz says: “I am fascinated by the sea, foreign countries, technology, and the exchange with people from different cultures. All of this is united in shipping. I look forward to gathering new impressions and learning a lot.”
Hapag-Lloyd is particularly actively involved in the holiday program this year. On the Kuala Lumpur Express, a container ship over 300 meters long, a total of 13 holiday sailors are on board. The training ship will be on its journey from Los Angeles to Busan during the internship period, calling at several international ports.
The holiday program often represents more than just a vacation experience, as shown by the example of Willy Schulze from Rastede in Lower Saxony. The now 19-year-old participated in the holiday program on a container ship from Hapag-Lloyd in the summer of 2025. His experiences on board have strengthened his career aspirations: After the summer vacation of 2026, he will begin training as a ship mechanic with Hapag-Lloyd.
Willy Schulze says: “The time on board showed me how varied and exciting work in shipping is. I was particularly impressed by the camaraderie of the crew and the responsibility that each individual takes on board, as well as the close collaboration of people from different cultures. The internship has reinforced my desire to go to sea myself.”
Erik Hirsch, head of maritime training at Hapag-Lloyd, emphasizes: “Inspiring young people for shipping means investing in the future of our industry and strengthening the maritime location of Germany in the long term.”
German shipping offers young people diverse career paths – from training as a ship mechanic to a nautical or technical officer career. At the same time, the industry is as varied as few others: Participants experience tugboats that safely maneuver large vessels into ports, ferries that connect places and people, as well as container, tanker, and bulk cargo ships that enable international trade.
This year, the young people are distributed among ships from the following shipping companies and maritime institutions: Hapag-Lloyd, TUI Cruises, Fairplay Towage Group, Hartmann Reederei, CPO (Offen Group), Briese Schifffahrt, Reederei Rambow, Peter Döhle Schiffahrts KG, F.A. Vinnen, Sloman Neptun Schifffahrts-AG, Rodenberg Shipmanagement, Schramm Group, Seacon Shipping, Reederei Jüngerhans, D. Oltmann Reederei, as well as the Pilot Operations Association (LBV) and the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH).
Since the 1960s, the VDR’s holiday program has connected young people with the maritime world. Numerous former participants have subsequently begun training or studies in shipping and now work in various areas of the maritime economy.
