It is with great sadness that the Schulte Group announces the passing of Hamburg shipowner and entrepreneur Dr Heinrich Schulte. The long-standing Chairman and shareholder of the Group died on 16 December 2025 in Hamburg, aged 90.

“On behalf of all employees, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the Schulte family,” said Ian Beveridge, CEO of the Schulte Group. “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.”

Dr Schulte was a truly Hanseatic businessman who stood for values such as honesty, integrity and courage. With tireless energy and entrepreneurial flair, he drove the fortunes of the Schulte Group forward. After handing over active management responsibilities to Ian Beveridge in 2001, he 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.

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, he was always restless and on the lookout for new business opportunities. He tapped into niche markets long before they became mainstream. At the end of the 1960s, he was one of the pioneers in gas tanker ship management for the transport of LPG and LNG. He also 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.

He considered it fundamental to secure the Schulte Group’s future as a family business. For Dr Schulte, independence meant being able to take swift and autonomous decisions while ensuring stability and continuity. 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 was not only a great family entrepreneur but also a devoted family man. He leaves behind his wife, five daughters, two sons, and 14 grandchildren.

Dr Heinrich Schulte will be deeply missed – by his family, the Schulte Group, and the wider shipping community.