Have workers in the port of Hamburg sabotaged naval vessels? At the beginning of last year, it became known that the corvette “Emden”, among others, had allegedly been tampered with.
Even before the ship was able to set sail on its first voyage in mid-January 2025, dozens of kilograms of metal shavings were found in the ship’s propulsion system during an inspection at Blohm+Voss.
As the “Bild” newspaper reported, the Hamburg police’s state security department and the public prosecutor’s office have arrested a Romanian (37) and a Greek (54). The two workers are alleged to have been involved in acts of sabotage on corvettes in the port of Hamburg.
One of the suspects is said to have been arrested in Hamburg, the other in Greece. The suspects’ homes in Hamburg, Romania and Greece were also searched. The men are accused of manipulating not only the corvette “Emden” in 2025, but also several naval vessels located on the shipyard premises.
According to the report in the “Bild” newspaper, the men allegedly poured more than 20 kg of blasting grit into the propulsion system of a naval vessel. In addition, fresh water supply lines were punctured, fuel tank caps were removed and fuse switches on the ship’s electronics were deactivated.
According to the Public Prosecutor General’s Office, this sabotage could have caused considerable damage to the naval vessels, which would have endangered the force’s effectiveness and thus Germany’s security. The evidence seized is currently being evaluated. In the further course of the investigation, it will be clarified who may have ordered the acts of sabotage.
