Only if we build things like we used to... West Germany and Germany in general has been known for the reliability and durability of their goods. German quality is top notch.

I’d guess it was as much an issue of keeping up regular maintenance as the initial quality of the vessels. I mean, if your ship was stuck in one place for years it’d be pretty natural to start letting things slide...

i would think so as well. Where are ships made anyway? It's more like only the Germans cared enough (about the ship or the cargo) to maintain it. I very much doubt the other companies were negligent.

The US ship might have been able to steam out had it not been sunk by an errant missile from the neighboring war.