By Paris Tsirigotis

The Greek orderbook recorded another notable increase in September, led by containerships and tankers, reaffirming the strategic focus of Greek shipowners on two of the most dynamic sectors in global shipping.

According to the latest analysis by shipbrokerage firm Xclusiv Shipbrokers, Greece further strengthened its position in the global orderbook, with Greek shipowners currently building a total of 644 ships (up from 634 in August and 625 in July), scheduled for delivery between 2025 and 2028 according to company plans.

Compared with last month, the Greek orderbook grew by 10 vessels, reflecting the trend of increasing market share, while deliveries of newly built ships to Greek companies remain ongoing.

Containerships

The most striking increase once again comes from containerships, with Greek shipowners holding 97 orders—11 more than the previous month—accounting for 9% of the global orderbook. The focus remains on neo-panamax vessels (50%), followed by feeders (34%), underscoring the heightened interest seen in recent months.

Overall, the global containership fleet now stands at 6,990 vessels, with an average age of 13.9 years. Although the so-called “ordering frenzy,” as analysts describe it, has eased compared with 2024, a new recovery is underway, with 1,052 vessels under construction (up from 972 in August).

Despite market concerns about potential oversupply, the Greek strategy remains driven by economies of scale and the need to modernize fleets in line with EEXI and CII regulations. The increase from August shows that Greek shipowners remain confident in their positioning, continuing to invest in cutting-edge technology.

Recent investments by Navios Maritime and Danaos are illustrative. Just days ago, both companies placed new orders to expand their fleets.

Specifically, Navios, led by Angeliki Frangou, ordered the construction of four 8,850-TEU containerships at South Korea’s HJ Shipbuilding. Danaos, chaired by Dr. Ioannis Coustas, ordered two 7,165-TEU containerships at China’s Dalian Shanhaiguan Shipyard.

Tankers

Greek investments in tankers are also steadily rising, with Greek shipowners now holding 295 orders—about 24% of the global orderbook (up from 288 in August). Most investments focus on Suezmax (86 ships) and Aframax/LR2 (68 ships), alongside a strong presence in MR2 product tankers (52 ships). This strategy enhances the flexibility of the Greek fleet, covering the full spectrum of demand from crude to refined products.

The increase in Greek tanker orders reflects confidence in the market’s medium-term outlook, despite current freight rate fluctuations. Globally, the tanker orderbook now accounts for 15.2% of the fleet, up from 12.9% last year.

Meanwhile, the total number of ships on the global orderbook stands at 1,221, up from 909 last month. However, despite this strong activity, the average age of the global fleet remains high at 13.8 years, underscoring the ongoing need for fleet renewal.

Bulk carriers

As for bulk carriers—a traditional stronghold of Greek shipowners—Greeks currently have 158 ships on order, representing about 12% of the global orderbook (down from 162 in August).

The “abstinence” from new orders, which has continued since the start of the year, persists for yet another month. Analysts partly attribute this to a strategic wait-and-see approach, with many owners instead pursuing opportunities in the second-hand bulker market.

Greece maintains a stable presence in sizes such as Kamsarmax and Ultramax, while globally the bulker orderbook accounts for 10.7% of the total fleet, helping to prevent an oversupply situation.

Greece leads the way in LNG & LPG carriers

Finally, in the gas carrier segment, Greece continues to play a leading role, combining fleet renewal with a long-term strategic outlook.

For LNG carriers, Greece holds 50 orders—about 15% of the global orderbook—with a focus on vessels in the 141,000–200,000 CBM range. This keeps Greek shipowners among the top players in the LNG market. Meanwhile, in LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) carriers, Greece has 44 orders, mainly for VLGCs, reflecting interest in diversification within energy transition-related sectors. These figures once again place Greece second globally—behind only Japan in LNG carriers and Norway in LPG carriers.