Athens / Piraeus participation among the largest shipping centers in the world lays on ship management. According to research by DNV and Menon, Greece is recognized as the world capital of ship management, staying firmly above Singapore, since more than 5,500 ships are managed in the country. In terms of carrying capacity (dwt) the Greek-owned fleet is approximately 90 million dwt larger than the second in the world, the Chinese fleet.
However, Greece is lacking in infrastructure (ports – shipyards), but also in services compared to other leading shipping centers around the world. For these reasons, in the annual report of the Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Center Development Index, published about a month ago, Athens and Piraeus are in eighth place worldwide. Singapore remains firmly in first place, despite the fact that it is second in ship management, after Greece, and they are followed by London, which is the world capital of shipping services, and also Shanghai, which has the largest TEUs handled port, on a global level.
The positive news
Despite the gap between Greece and the other major shipping centers (apart from ship management of course), the news is probably positive.
Greece has gained one place in the world ranking, having risen to eighth place in 2023 compared to ninth place in 2022, above New York.
Moreover, in its report, Baltic sees Greece rising at all levels.
It is widely believed that the Greek state has demonstrated commitment to the maritime sector, implementing policies and regulations that help the sector and creating a legal framework that favors maritime activities.
Also, the Hellenic Marine Equipment Manufacturers (HEMEXPO) has seen tremendous growth over the last years, while the Greek startup ecosystem includes a plethora of IT companies developing solutions specifically for shipping.
