German Shipowners' Association, Hamburg
Chief Executive Officer
kroeger@reederverband.de
Dr. Martin Kröger
Career
Martin Kröger, serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the German Shipowners’ Association (VDR), is a renowned expert in the realm of shipping policy and the management of governmental affairs. His tenure at the VDR, spanning over a decade, has established him as a key representative in the shipping industry, liaising with numerous international and intergovernmental entities.
Additionally, Martin holds the role of Managing Director at the German Shipping Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting the training and education of seafarers in Germany. His expertise extends to numerous European and international maritime advisory committees and expert groups, where he contributes his insights and knowledge. In his capacity as an alternate member of the Board of Directors of the International Chamber of Shipping and a member of the Board of Directors of the European Community Shipowners Association in Brussels, Martin is actively involved in shaping international and EU maritime policies. As the acting Chairman of the ECSA Safety and Environmental Committee, he plays a pivotal role in steering the maritime sector towards sustainable and safe practices.
Before his tenure at VDR, Martin was the Managing Director for the Association of German Seaport Operators, engaging also in the Federation of European Private Port Operators (FEPORT) in Brussels. Admitted to the Hamburg bar in 2007, he also founded his law and consultancy practice in Hamburg that same year.
Educated in Germany and Australia, Martin graduated from the University of Hamburg with a Law degree in 2001, followed by a Master of Laws in Shipping Law with honors from the University of Cape Town in 2003, where he was honored with the Capt. Bob Deacon Shipping Law Prize in 2004. He later earned a Doctor of Laws (Dr. jur.) from the University of Hamburg in 2006.
In 2023, Martin's commitment to professional development was further recognized when he received the Executive Certificate in Economic Development from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, acknowledging his successful completion of executive programs in International Trade Policy, Climate Change and Energy, and Leading Green Growth - Strategies for a Low-Carbon World.