Greek shipowners are kicking off 2026 by taking in a large number of newly built tankers and expanding their fleets. Looking at the global market, the industry generally expects 2026 to set a record for tanker deliveries.
By 2026, Greek shipowners had taken delivery of multiple new oil tankers, including but not limited to:
- COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry (Yangzhou) delivered the two 114,000 DWT vessels Sea Orca and SEA CONDOR to Pantheon Tankers;
- Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (DSIC) delivered the 115,000 DWT “Cape Olympus” to Cape Shipping; New Times Shipbuilding delivered the 73,500 DWT “Petrokaravo” to Dynacom Tanker;
- The shipyards under Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group delivered the 114,000 DWT “Lucknam” to Laskaridis Maritime, the 75,000 DWT “Jarama” to Evalend Shipping, and the 50,000 DWT “Paros Star” to Chartworld Shipping.
Currently, Greek shipowners hold the largest share of tanker orders in the global market. Suezmax and Aframax/LR2 product tankers form the core of newbuild orders placed by Greek shipowners.
The latest monthly report from shipbroker Xclusiv Shipbrokers indicates that as of the end of December 2025, Chinese shipowners held orders for 317 tankers under construction, accounting for 25% of the global orderbook.
A significant portion of tankers ordered by Greek shipowners will be delivered and put into operation in 2026. A recent report by shipbroker BRS Shipbrokers indicates that global tanker deliveries reached 199 vessels in 2025, marking the highest annual figure since 2019. However, deliveries are projected to surpass this number in 2026.
BRS Shipbrokers estimates that the current global orderbook for tankers under construction totals 956 vessels, with approximately 40% (379 vessels) scheduled for delivery in 2026. Should this forecast materialize, 2026 would set a record for the highest annual delivery volume in two decades, underscoring the robust momentum in the global tanker fleet’s renewal and expansion.