Jens B. Knudsen gives a speech at the Maritime Summer Event 2017

On 17.08. Jens B. Knudsen welcomed the Prime Minister of the State of Schleswig-Holstein, Mr. Daniel Günther, in the presence of around 400 representatives of the maritime industry at the Maritime Summer Event 2017 in the Kiel Yacht Club and offered the cooperation of the maritime industry to the well-being of the country, its economy and science.

In his speech, Mr. Knudsen demanded the renouncement of the EEG levy for ships that meet the high IMO environmental requirements, using the example of the shipping company Color Line and its ecologically high-quality ships MS Color Fantasy and MS Color Magic. The current EEG levy, which is due when shore power is used, would rather prevent the ecologically sensible shore power.

Mr. Knudsen reacted with incomprehension to the expansion of public businesses in Germany. This expansion would not be carried out according to economic criteria and would often not be expertly controlled. Many of the advantages that the public sector has over the private sector are leading to distortions of competition at the expense of private companies. According to Mr. Knudsen, it is not acceptable that public businesses are safeguarded by taxpayers’ money and are competing with private companies paying those taxes.