Portugal becomes leading flag state for German shipowners
With 432 ships, Portugal is the leading flag of German shipowners for the first time – measured by the number of ships owned by German companies.
According to the latest statistics from the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency, Portugal has thus overtaken Antigua and Barbuda (427) and Liberia (319) in terms of the number of ships.
For decades, the German fleet was dominated by non-European offshore ship registers such as Liberia or the Marshall Islands. This changed at the beginning of the year. Thanks to the efforts of the entire shipping industry, the EU share of all flagged-out ships has risen from 25% to 45% in over ten years. Euromar began promoting a European, safe, reliable and efficient ship register to German shipowners twelve years ago.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the German shipowners. The goals we have achieved are an incentive to continue to show our full commitment and to strive for continuous further development. In the short term, further improvements to the already lean administration are imminent in Portugal,” says Albrecht Gundermann, Managing Partner of the Portuguese flag agency.
At European level, a maritime industrial strategy is currently about to be published. “The European Commissioner for Industry is clearly in favor of a greater commitment to Europe: This meets with our full agreement and support. The only answer to more uncertainty in the world can only be more Europe – and thus an even clearer commitment to EU flags in shipping. Because Europe is the anchor of stability that stands for economic and security policy predictability like hardly any other region in the world,” Gundermann continues.
Re-flagging as an economic and political signal
The positive development shows that it is possible to attract shipowners to EU flags with a very good overall package and reliable framework conditions. Gundermann emphasizes: “Every reflagging costs money, time and nerves – but the German shipping companies have invested considerable effort in an attractive flag and thus sent a strong political signal. Without this effort by the German shipping industry and backing for Europe, we would be in a different place today.”
Jörg Molzahn, Co-Founder of Euromar, explains that shipowners choose Portugal because the Madeira International Register of Shipping (MAR) combines economic efficiency with clear and reliable framework conditions. The Portuguese EU flag thus stands for planning security, transparent processes and a modern, digital administrative approach that makes the day-to-day operations of shipowners much easier.
Molzahn continues: “Portugal (MAR) is becoming more attractive, particularly in international competition, as European standards are combined with pragmatic solutions here. With Euromar, the regional government of Madeira offers an environment that meets both the highest regulatory requirements and the economic interests of shipowners.”
Strong growth of the Madeira Ship Register
Ships that fly the Portuguese flag are registered in the Madeira International Register of Shipping (MAR). As of the end of January 2026, a total of over 300 shipping companies with almost 1,200 ships and a tonnage of around 30 million GT have opted for the Madeira Register of Shipping and thus for the Portuguese flag.
The exclusive sales and service agency for the Madeira Register of Shipping is European MAR (Euromar), which was founded in 2013 and has offices in Funchal, Lisbon, Hamburg and Athens. It brings European and international shipping companies together with the relevant authorities in Portugal and other stakeholders on behalf of the shipping register.
By courtesy of:
