Küstenfahrgastschiffahrt in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: zur Entwicklung der kleineren Reedereien seit 1990

Abstract

The development of maritime passenger carriage on the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania since 1990 can be discussed here only with a view to the aspects which are of primary importance for maritime ethnology. The focus is thus not so much on technical data and ships’ vitae as on the initiatives of the shipowners. It becomes clear in the process that the entrepreneurs involved in this development were for the most part persons who were at home in this coastal region before the restoration of German unity. Their professional biographies serve as illustrations of the fundamental economic changes since 1990 in two distinct respects, and it was for these very reasons that many of the new shipping entrepreneurs undertook the bold step into professional self-employment: On the one hand, many people experienced a worsening of the prospects in the professions they had practiced until that time; on the other hand the prospect of founding one's own shipping company was a new and attractive one, made possible by the abolishment of the state monopoly in 1990. What is more, several shipowners were able to fulfil a long-cherished desire by entering the passenger carriage business. A majority of these persons were former seamen on merchant vessels, ocean fishermen, coastal fishermen, seamen from the technical fleet and in a few cases even former navy career officers and mates. Passenger transport by ship on the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was influenced to a decisive degree by this new group of shipowners. Their entrepreneurial histories usually began with the acquisition of second-hand ships, many quite advanced in age. After a while, however, new vessels were purchased and the old ones sold off. Between 1992 and 2002, twentytwo newly constructed vessels went into operation, a circumstance which reflects the entrepreneurial activities of this group of shipowners quite clearly. Investments were not only made in modernisation measures, however, but also in the expansion of the respective undertaking and its continuation by the next family generation. In the meantime many undertakings which began on the smallest scale have become shipping companies with two or three ships, eight to ten employees and a remarkable range of services: The latter include not only traditional line shipping and excursions to natural sightseeing attractions, but also acknowledgement of the latest trends in conjunction with the use of the ships to optimal capacity: chartered trips for groups, bicycle transport, weddings on board, sea burials accompanied by the celebration of maritime customs, disco and dance trips, in a few cases even fashion shows. Other vessels are equipped with duty-free shops for service in the German-Polish border area. Practically overnight, these shopping-oriented trips transformed particularly the port town Ueckermünde and the fishing village Altwarp into popular destinations for organised mass tourism. The innovations in passenger shipping also include the water-taxi express connections between Rügen and Hiddensee, as well as offers provided by numerous owners of former fishing cutters (boat trips, fishing trips, trips for divers). Finally, there is a group of sailing vessels that should not go unmentioned, namely the zeese boats - former fishing boats now used as recreation, regatta and traditional sailboats on which sailing excursions from several small port villages on the Bodden Coast and Stettiner Haff are possible. Recent developments in passenger shipping can be presented here only with regard to those shipping companies which have special passenger vessels at their disposal. Despite this limitation, it will certainly become evident how the newly regained opportunities in this tourism- oriented area of shipping on the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania were realised and creatively expanded by a small group of shipowners - newcomers to the business - whose determination and entrepreneurial boldness led them to success.