China tops 2025 shipping investment rankings, Greece keeps pace

According to Greece’s Allied Shipbroking annual review, Chinese shipping companies placed orders for 163 vessels last year, outpacing owners based in Singapore and Greece.

Chinese owners demonstrated broad market participation, ordering 38 tankers, 33 container vessels, 30 bulk carriers, and four gas carriers, among other vessel types.

Singapore-based companies climbed to the second position worldwide, signing contracts for 150 vessels, including 41 container ships and 28 tankers. Greek owners followed with 140 vessels, primarily container ships (64 units) and tankers (47 units).

Japanese owners ranked fourth, placing orders for 108 vessels, balanced across tankers (30), bulk carriers (22), and container vessels (17). Indonesia-based companies completed the top five, investing in 79 vessels, largely driven by container ships.

On a wider scale, Allied’s data highlighted a continued decline in global newbuilding activity in 2025. Total orders fell from 3,832 vessels (187M dwt) in 2024 to around 2,531 vessels (123M dwt).

Bulk carrier activity declined 41% year-on-year in dwt terms, while tanker orders fell 38%. In contrast, container vessel deals grew 38%, making it the only sector to register growth. The gas carrier market saw the sharpest drop, with orders down almost 80% in tonnage terms.

Chinese dominance in the secondhand market

Chinese shipowners also led the secondhand market, maintaining their position ahead of Greek owners. Allied data shows they acquired 229 vessels, heavily concentrated in bulk carriers (158 units) and tankers (54 units).

Greek buyers ranked second with 179 acquisitions, led by bulk carriers (109) and tankers (47). Vietnam, Turkey, and Singapore-based owners completed the top five, each acquiring 27 to 33 vessels.

Overall, secondhand transaction activity fell moderately, with total sales declining from 1,686 vessels (117M dwt) to 1,522 vessels (109M dwt) – a 10% drop in units and 7% in tonnage.

“Compared with the sharper contraction in newbuilding orders, the secondhand market shows a more contained reduction in volumes, indicating that buyer activity remains present across core segments,” Allied Shipbroking commented.

Secondhand market trends varied by segment. Dry bulk sales fell 9% in dwt terms, while tanker activity rose 8%, despite fewer vessels changing hands, reflecting a shift towards larger sizes. Suezmaxes, Aframaxes/LR2, and LR1 vessels drove this trend. Container vessel and gas carrier transactions fell sharply, by 30% and 65% in tonnage terms, respectively.