It’s Greece—again. The maritime nation quietly commands the largest fleet by capacity, shaping global trade flows and influencing logistics costs from Piraeus to the Pacific.
Greece may not be the first country that comes to mind when thinking of shipping superpowers, but its sustained leadership continues to matter for global logistics. According to a recent report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Greece again ranks as the world’s largest shipping nation by percentage of deadweight tonnage (DWT) in 2025, reinforcing its outsized role in global maritime flows.
Despite its relatively modest geography and GDP, Greece accounts for 16.4% of dead weight ton capacity, outpacing second-place China (14.4%) and Japan, in third (9.9%). (The United States does not place among the top 10 nations by percentage of dead weight ton capacity.)
While other nations may own a greater number of vessels, the Greek fleet leads in overall size and carrying capability. Greek-owned vessels cover the full range of maritime transport, from tankers and bulk carriers to LNG and container ships, reflecting a diversified, risk-balanced investment approach across trade corridors and cargo types.
Why Greece Still Pulls Ahead
Several factors underpin Greece’s enduring dominance, according to UNCTAD. First is heritage: centuries of maritime tradition have produced a highly specialized network of family-owned shipping companies with deep operational expertise. Those include Angelicoussis Group, which operates Maran Tankers, Maran Gas Maritime, and others; Tsakos Group, which operates a diverse fleet of tankers, container ships, and dry cargo carriers; and the Livanos Family, which manages its fleet through companies like S. Livanos Hellas/Sun Enterprises and was the first Greek company to operate an LNG fleet in 2001.
That institutional knowledge—spanning routing, chartering, and asset management—continues to deliver strategic advantage in volatile markets.
Second, Greek shipping interests are truly global. Shipowners maintain offices not only in Piraeus but in major maritime hubs such as London, Singapore, and Hong Kong. This international reach allows them to position assets and adjust fleet deployment in real time as demand shifts across trade routes.
Third, the Greek fleet focuses on vessel size and efficiency. While the country may not lead in raw vessel count, its average ship size is considerably larger than the global norm. That translates to economies of scale, lower unit transport costs, and enhanced flexibility when managing high-volume or long-haul movements—critical factors in global freight optimization.
Asia’s Mounting Prowess
As shipbuilding and fleet ownership continue to expand in Asia—especially in China and Japan—global maritime capacity is becoming increasingly concentrated in the region. China is rapidly growing its fleet through both state-owned and private operators, while Japan remains a leader in ship design, propulsion systems, and efficiency technologies.
Today, Asia accounts for more than half of the world’s commercial fleet, reflecting both its industrial scale and strategic focus on maritime trade. The region’s influence extends beyond logistics to the broader energy and raw materials markets, where vessel control increasingly translates into leverage over trade flows.
Against that backdrop, Greece’s continued leadership in shipping capacity represents one side of a shifting global balance—where legacy maritime powers and emerging industrial economies now share responsibility for moving the bulk of the world’s freight.
Implications for Supply-Chain Stakeholders
For shippers, forwarders, and network planners, Greece’s large share of global shipping capacity remains a factor in the availability and pricing of maritime transport. Greek-owned vessels play a significant role in bulk and energy trades, particularly in routes linking Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Because these operators manage a broad mix of vessel types and maintain an international presence, their deployment decisions can affect how capacity is distributed across major trade lanes. This activity influences rate dynamics and service availability in segments such as crude oil, dry bulk, and containerized goods.
In addition, Greece continues to serve as a key participant in East–West transport corridors, connecting raw material sources, manufacturing centers, and consumer markets.
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