June 15 - The Hamburg-based shipowners of Rickmers, including Bertram and Erck Rickmers, have donated EUR1.4 million to the World Future Council (WFC) as part of the shipping group's 175th anniversary celebrations.

"On the occasion of the family's 175th anniversary we would like to pay tribute to the past and at the same to make a contribution to the future," the Rickmers brothers said, adding: "Consistent support of sustainable thinking and acting for the benefit of future generations is only possible at a global level. This is why we want to support the international work of the Hamburg-based World Future Council."

The cheque was presented to WFC founder and board chairman Jakob von Uexküll.

"The WFC fills a gap among international organisations by conducting research into forward-looking solutions and supporting their implementation directly all over the world," Uexküll said.

Bertram and Erck Rickmers are the fifth generation of the Rickmers family to work in shipping. They run two separate groups of companies and between them employ over 5,000 people on land and at sea, including heavy lift liner shipping company Rickmers-Linie.