WAs the global shipping community gathers next week for the bi-annual Posidonia event, Clarksons Research has highlighted the position of the Greek market and the hugely important role it plays in shipping.
Although highly dynamic shipping markets are often located on the “front line” of unprecedented global events, the strength of the Greek shipping community and its ability to manage and capitalize on the risks and opportunities that accumulate in shipping markets remains hugely impressive. When summarizing the key statistics in our report, Steve Gordon of Clarksons Research commented:
Greek companies own 14% of the global fleet by volume (17% by deadweight)
More than a fifth of oil tankers, bulk ships and liquefied natural gas carriers are Greek-owned
Bulk carriers account for about half of the Greek fleet by tonnage, although tankers hold the largest share of order book commitments.
There are more than 700 Greek companies that own ships, with the average company having a fleet of 8 ships
The top 10 Greek companies control 5% of the global fleet
Greek companies are the largest investors in new construction so far in 2026 and the largest sellers of used tonnage
Greek shipping companies have ships with a gross tonnage of 427 million dwt / 254 million dwt / $200 billion “on water” as well as more than $75 billion in newbuild orders.
Further details and background data are available upon request.
market share
Greek shipping companies play a notable and crucial role in global shipping, owning 14% (17%) of global tonnage (DWT) and more than a fifth of all tankers, bulk carriers and LNG carriers. Strong positions in “dry” (21% of fleet capacity, second only to China) and “wet” (also 21%, first) are the long-standing pillars of Greek shipping. Active markets, with a lot of volatility, spot trading and asset trading that suits the business model. Strategic growth in gas in the last decade, well timed given the growth in volumes, has seen Greek companies capture a leading market with a 17% share of tonnage and provide more Greek scale via “energy” shipping (nearly a quarter). Containers were another, albeit less important, area of diversification, and as liner companies’ increased ownership of ‘steel’, the Greek market share actually declined (from 10% to 6% in the last 10 years). There have been other notable investments (such as motor transport and marine transport) and an active local ferry market, but in general, Greek activity has focused on bulk carriers, tankers and gas.
Today our database tracks more than 700* Greek shipping companies, and while the average company still has only 8 ships, there is an increasing number of large companies (today 19 companies have more than 50 ships in the fleet compared to only 5 in 2010). The ten largest Greek companies in terms of tonnage “on the water” (controlling 5% of the global fleet alone) are Angelicoussis Group, Dynacom, Cardiff Marine, Navios Holdings, Star Bulk Carriers, Alpha Tankers, Tenamaris, Tsakos Group, Marmaras Navigation and Minerva Marine. Capital Maritime, followed by Dynacom, has the largest order book ($75 billion of existing investment in the Greek order book is more consolidated around a smaller number of large companies).
Secrets of success
Many of the reasons for the Greek success that we covered two years ago are still valid: strong cash positions (certainly higher than recent Posidonia given the length and depth of the current cycle), low leverage, intuitive timing across market cycles (most, if not all of the time!), quick and smart decision-making, legacy and improved management of generational change that is sometimes difficult, the size and differentiation of the “pool” of commercial and technical expertise, strong and long-term client relationships, and flexibility and adaptability. While other “clusters” benefit from proximity to cargo, shipbuilding capabilities, major liner companies and finance (although local Greek banks are now much more active), the Greek market achieves broad scale as the ultimate “reciprocal trade” (Greek imports are less than 1% of global imports, versus 25% for China). Interestingly, in the first four months of 2026, Greek companies were the largest investors in new construction and the largest seller of S&P tonnages. Alongside the focus on new construction, there has also been a pragmatic but committed approach to the green agenda: the average age of the Greek fleet is now below the global average, and there has been investment in alternative fuels and the embrace of energy saving technologies.
Enjoy Poseidonia and don’t forget to raise a glass to the wonderful (and vital to global trade) Greek shipping community!
The author of this featured article is Steve Gordon. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of The Clarkson Group.
Source: Written by Steve Gordon, Clarksons Group
