Athens, Greece. Greek shipowners returned strongly to the newbuilding market in the first quarter of 2026, with orders rising sharply and tankers accounting for most activity, according to data cited by Xclusiv Shipbrokers.
Greek ordering activity rises
Greek interests ordered 102 vessels in the January-March period, up from 33 a year earlier, as total global contracting climbed to 422 ships from 315 in the same period of 2025.
Shift back to tankers
Greek owners booked 63 tanker newbuildings in the first quarter, up from 13 a year earlier, with activity concentrated in the larger crude segments. The orders included 24 VLCCs and 23 Suezmaxes, which Xclusiv described as an “outsized” Greek role in the latest ordering cycle.
Global tanker contracting also increases
Tanker contracting across all classes rose globally to 152 vessels from 79 a year earlier, while VLCC and ULCC orders jumped to 64 from three. Suezmax orders also rose worldwide to 41 units, indicating broader demand for large crude tonnage beyond Greek buyers.
Dry bulk and gas carrier orders
Greek owners ordered 16 bulkers versus three a year earlier, including six Capesize and six Newcastlemax vessels after no contracting in those categories in the first quarter of 2025. They also placed nine LNG carrier orders, signalling a parallel move into gas shipping.
Broader market trends in dry bulk and containers
Dry bulk contracting globally eased to 74 vessels from 80, with the mix shifting toward larger ships, including Newcastlemax orders rising to 17 from nine and Capesize orders to nine from four. Greek owners ordered 13 containerships, compared with 12 a year earlier, with interest centred on feeder and handy sizes.
Which ship types do you expect to dominate newbuilding orders in the next quarter?
