Schulte Group chairman Heinrich Schulte passes away at 90

The Schulte Group has confirmed the passing of its chairman, Hamburg shipowner and entrepreneur Dr Heinrich Schulte. 

“On behalf of all employees, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the Schulte family,” Schulte Group chief executive Ian Beveridge said. “For over six decades, Dr Schulte shaped the group and played a key role in the entire shipping industry. We feel immense gratitude for Dr Schulte’s visionary leadership, and we mourn the loss of a wise and deeply impressive person.”

Praising the former chairman as "a truly Hanseatic businessman who stood for values such as honesty, integrity and courage," the Schulte Group remembered his "tireless energy and entrepreneurial flair".

After handing over active management responsibilities to chief executive Mr Beveridge in 2001, Mr Schulte continued to serve the company as a managing director and the chairman of the Advisory Board, providing strategic guidance.

"A life without shipping was unthinkable for him," the group said.

In 1963, Dr Schulte joined his father’s shipping company, Bernhard Schulte, whose origins date back to 1883. With 14 owned ships at the time, he expanded the company into a diversified global maritime group. In addition to the shipowning business, which today comprises around 80 owned vessels, the Schulte Group also includes maritime service entities such as Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), with a fleet of 670 managed ships and 30 locations worldwide.

Born in Hamburg, but with family roots in Papenburg and Emden, by the end of the 1960s, Mr Schulte was one of the pioneers in gas tanker shipmanagement for the transport of LPG and LNG.

Calling him "always restless and in search of new business opportunities" and noting his aptitude for early entry into budding markets, the Schulte group said Mr Schulte recognised the potential of offshore wind vessels at an early stage and supported the development of a specialised offshore wind fleet.

"Dr Schulte always adhered to the principle of long-term economic success over quick profit. Guided by this philosophy, he led the company through challenging times. While many German shipping companies disappeared amid the crises of the 1980s and 2010s, the Schulte Group emerged stronger than ever, thanks to his prudent entrepreneurial spirit and the substantial reserves built up during good years," they said.

"With foresight, he established a solid management succession early on and passed on responsibility to the next generation, yet remained available to advise with his keen insights and vast experience. This reflected his deep sense of responsibility – towards the company, its employees, and business partners. Dr Heinrich Schulte will be deeply missed – by his family, the Schulte Group, and the wider shipping community."

Dr Heinrich Schulte leaves behind his wife, five daughters, two sons and 14 grandchildren.