Greek Shipowners Invest in New Gas Vessels Amid Market Shift

Greek shipowners have made a significant investment of $18 billion in newbuild gas vessels since 2021, as they diversify their portfolios away from traditional tanker, bulker, and container asset classes. According to a report by VesselsValue, approximately $13.8 billion has been spent on 59 liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels, and around $4 billion on 41 liquid petroleum gas (LPG) vessels. This shift in investment strategy reflects Greek shipowners’ anticipation of future increases in gas and LNG supply in the global energy mix.

The report highlights Capital Ship Management as the most speculative Greek shipowner, with a combined spend of roughly $4.7 billion on 15 large LNG vessels, two very large ammonia carriers, eight medium gas carriers, and four carbon dioxide vessels. Following closely is Maran Gas Maritime, with a total spend of about $3.3 billion on 15 large LNG carriers. The offshore oil and gas market has also attracted interest, with values for anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels and platform supply vessels (PSV) spiking significantly since 2021.

Newbuilding prices across all sectors have reached their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis, with container and LNG vessels experiencing the most upward pressure. Shipyard capacity and building periods have been strained due to high ordering activity, giving shipyards the upper hand in price negotiations. Despite expectations of rising newbuilding prices for container vessels in 2024 and 2025, a decline in the total orderbook could eventually lead to lower prices, albeit gradually over the next 12-24 months.

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