Marine mineral resources - Market potential for innovative German technologies in deep-sea mining (April 2010)

Germany disposes of long-standing know-how as well as a greater number of internationally experienced companies and research institutes that are able to investigate and the exploitation of marine mineral resources. This is an important result of the stock-taking within the scope of a study being done on current developments and chances in the deep-sea mining business.  The report was compiled by order of the German Ministry of Economics and the Ministry of Economics of Lower Saxony by a consortium managed by of MC Marketing Consulting from Kiel.
Marine mineral raw materials could perform in the longer term a lasting contribution to the protection of the raw material care of the Federal Republic of Germany; this, above all, with precious metals and high technology raw materials. In connection with the interest gaining strength internationally again in the commercial use of this potential a study being now sees in perspective also good sales opportunities for German actors at the accompanying technology market in the deep-sea mining.
The current deep-sea mining technology unites elements of offshore techniques, ocean research and hydrographical technology, the shipbuilding and ship supplying industry and as well as the mining technology.
The German industrial and scientific players dispose of special power in deposit exploration and exploitation. These capacities are concentrated with approx. 70% of all actors in four federal states Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg and North Rhine-Westphalia.
The study reaches for a positive appraisal of the economic views at the global technology market; however, refers also to the compelling necessity to bundle up all future German activities.