13. Personnel Expenses

The direct remuneration paid to members of the Executive Board totalled € 3,143 thousand for the 2016 financial year (previous year: € 2,925 thousand). More details on the remuneration paid to the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board can be found in Note 48.

Social security contributions include payments towards the public pension scheme amounting to € 26,794 thousand (previous year: € 26,005 thousand) and payments to the German pension insurance scheme. Personnel expenses increased in the year under review, primarily due to restructuring-related expenses in connection with the discontinuation of project and contract logistics activities, potential expenses for planned phased early retirement obligations and changes to the group of consolidated companies. There were no further significant expenses from the termination of employment.

Service expense includes payments from defined benefit pension commitments and similar obligations.

In addition, the Group used an annual average of 558 employees (previous year: 562) of Gesamthafenbetriebs-Gesellschaft m.b.H., Hamburg (GHB).