Greek shipping continues to hold a global dominant position in terms of capacity in the seas, according to data released yesterday by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
The Greek-owned fleet, comprising 4,992 ships with a total carrying capacity of 394,977,181 dwt, maintains the top global position, holding a 16.9% share in terms of dwt. In second place is the Chinese fleet, with 6,600 ships and a capacity of 309,870,897 dwt, accounting for 13.3% of the global share.
UNCTAD’s data reflect the global fleet as of January 1, 2024. Compared to 2023, the Greek-owned fleet’s share decreased slightly from 17.4%, while China’s share also saw a small decline from 13.4%.
The Greek shipping fleet continues to expand and modernize, focusing on energy efficiency and equipping ships with the latest environmental technologies. According to the Union of Greek Shipowners’ annual report, Greece already has the largest fleet capable of using alternative fuels worldwide.
Japan, with a 10.4% share, Singapore at 6.3%, and Hong Kong at 5.8% complete the top five countries with the largest fleets.
As of early 2024, the global fleet consisted of approximately 109,000 ships, including cargo and non-cargo vessels, each weighing at least 100 gross tons (gt).
The total carrying capacity of the global fleet reached approximately 2.4 billion deadweight tons (dwt), with bulk carriers accounting for 42.7% of the total and tankers making up 28.3%.
UNCTAD warned that the downward trend poses a significant risk to this medium-term forecast as geopolitical conflicts and the impacts of the climate crisis, highlighted last year by the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the drought in the Panama Canal, are negatively affecting global trade.
