Gerda Hasselfeldt, President of the German Red Cross, visited MEYER WERFT today. The former Federal Minister came to Papenburg at the invitation of CDU Member of Parliament Gitta Connemann and her predecessor as DRK President, Dr. Rudolf Seiters. Together, the Christian Democrats got an idea of how MEYER WERFT is coping with the current situation. Gerda Hasselfeldt was impressed: "The many measures taken by the shipyard to protect against infection, the efforts to open up new markets, e.g. for hospital ships, and the technological development towards climate-neutral cruise ships. The shipyard shows a lot of pioneering spirit and invests a lot of work."

A close relationship with the DRK has existed for many years, as the DRK Kreisverband Emsland e.V. is the sponsor of the Nautilus company daycare center. The daycare center was opened in 2013, has grown steadily and offers 80 childcare places each year. A total of about 400 children have visited the daycare center so far. 16 educational specialists, two housekeeping staff, two room attendants and a janitor ensure the best possible care. One third of the places are reserved for children from the city of Papenburg, two thirds of the places are reserved for MEYER WERFT employees and their children.

Gerda Hasselfeldt is the first woman to head the German Red Cross. The DRK Federal Assembly unanimously elected her as the new president in Berlin in 2017. This is a very important voluntary task, because more and more people are fleeing war, violence, climate change, hunger and poverty. Gitta Connemann also emphasized the importance of the relationship between the stakeholders for the region: "The shipyard is an important employer. The connection with a partner like the DRK helps in many places. The region needs reliable prospects."