Οne in four orders for tankers in 2024 came from Greek companies, according to data from Veson Nautical, with Greek shipowners ranking first in energy product carriers.
In particular, a record number of new tankers – 435 – were ordered in 2024, marking an increase of around 31% compared to the previous year.
The report, compiled by Veson’s data and intelligence arm, VesselsValue, stated that the increase in newly built tankers is due to high demand, fleet renewal and a focus on green regulatory compliance, as well as continued increased tonnage demand for this sector and strong resale prices.
“The sector was very active in 2024, particularly in the first half of the year, as shipowners looked to renew their fleets with the latest technology,” said Thomas Zwick, Senior Maritime Analyst at Veson Nautical. “Although 2025 started more slowly, orders are expected to increase as demand remains strong, but the levels seen in 2024 are not expected to be repeated.”
The report added that the majority of orders placed this year were in the Handy class sector, which accounted for around 47% of the total with 204 such ships ordered. The ships ordered were largely in the MR sector, which are smaller, coated ships ordered for their flexibility and ability to operate in a wide range of locations.
In second place, with 101 orders, was the Aframax/LR2 sector, followed by VLCCs in third place with 57 orders, Suezmax in fourth place with 45 new ships and Panamax/LR1 in fifth place with 28 new orders.
The report also stated that Greece was the most active in newly built tankers, with 113 orders reported in 2024. China was in second place, with 75 orders placed, Singapore was in third place with 43 orders, the United Kingdom in fourth place with 42 orders and Japan in fifth place with 18 new orders.
