The Athens/Piraeus ecosystem has shown its strength in the field of ship management, earning a place on the list of the world’s leading maritime hubs.
The survey, prepared annually by China’s state-run Xinhua news agency and the British company Baltic Exchange (Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development Index, ISCDI), ranks the Greek hub seventh internationally in 2024, up from the eighth place it occupied in 2023.
“Greece continues to play one of the most important roles in the global shipping industry, as more than 1,000 maritime offices are based in Athens or the wider Attica region,” the study authors noted.
In 2022, more than 5,500 ships or about 22% of the international fleet were owned by Greeks, according to data from the Hellenic Shipowners’ Union cited by the study.
“The strength of the Greek maritime community is increasing, as the number of vessels has grown by more than 50% in the last decade,” they stressed.
The Greeks control 31% of the world’s tanker fleet, 25% of bulk carriers, 22% of LNG tankers, 15% of chemical and product tankers, 11% of LPG tankers and 8% of container ships.
Technology center
In addition to ship ownership, the Greek maritime hub is also emerging as a hub of innovation and technology.
“Athens is increasingly participating in shaping the future of maritime technologies,” the researchers noted.
As they explained, “The Greek capital is home to innovative and dedicated start-ups, which work closely with the larger shipping community to develop unique and cutting-edge solutions that enhance the capabilities of fleet managers. These technology companies are promoting and delivering their solutions to shipping companies around the world.”
The Port of Piraeus, an international pillar of business development and investment
At the same time, the Greek center is also strengthened by the stable position of the port of Piraeus among the largest in Europe.
The ISCDI survey highlighted that a series of investments and upgrades have modernised the port’s infrastructure, increasing its capacity.
A milestone, of course, was the acquisition of a majority stake by COSCO.
As reported, the port’s business strategy is focused on expanding its role as a central logistics hub. “Piraeus has taken advantage of its strategic location to attract increased shipping traffic. The port is a major transit hub for the Mediterranean, connecting major shipping routes between Asia, Europe and Africa.”