4. Please describe how you are connected to the German flag.

The BSH is part of the Flag State Administration of Germany and so I am partly responsible as the head of this authority.

Aside from administrative duties, we, at the BSH, support high standards for the training of seafarers and are committed to security and environmental protection in marine traffic.

This is why it is important to us that Germany as Flag State influences the developments and will continue to play an important role in the IMO and IHO.