Greeks retain global shipping leadership

Greece remains the global leader in shipping, as the latest annual report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) shows that the share of the global merchant fleet owned by Greeks in terms of capacity has risen from 16.1 percent in 2015 to 16.36 percent this year.

Greek shipowners control a total of 4,136 vessels, up from 4,017 ships a year earlier - i.e. an annual increase of 119 ships or almost 3 percent.

However, only 728 of those ships bear the Greek flag, down from 796 last year.