Regular customers of traditional shipyard Gebr. Friedrich in Kiel for repairs and refits include classic motor yachts such as “Merkur II” and “Rudolf Diesel”. The yard, founded in 1921, has wharfage for ships up to 110 metres long and slips for vessels up to 50 metres long next to its imposing shipbuilding hall. But with its subsidiary, Gebr. Friedrich Industrie- und Elektrotechnik GmbH, it offers far more besides.

Together they have acquired an almost legendary reputation as the saviour of ships in need. When technical defects occur on superyachts, cruise ships, container ships or ferries, staff from Gebr. Friedrich is always on hand to rush to their assistance, anywhere in the world that can be reached by plane. According to Klaus Birr and his daughter Katrin, third and fourth generation yard bosses, Gebr. Friedrich’s remarkable flexibility and accumulated marine expertise account for the huge demand for its services in the shipping industry. As Klaus Birr points out, the two affiliates complement one another perfectly in their lines of business. “We can meet virtually all of the challenges set by shipping”, says Katrin Birr. She is delighted to report that both of the firms, which together employ a workforce of 140, are currently at full capacity.