China is now the world’s top shipowner, increasingly distancing itself from the other contenders.
According to the latest data from Clarksons Research, the People’s Republic of China now has a 282.9 million GT commercial fleet. Greece is in second place with a fleet 254 million GT.
The Chinese also have an orderbook totaling 46.7 million GT, whereas Greece’s orderbook amounts to 35.4 million GT.
China’s merchant shipping fleet currently accounts for one seventh of the global one.
Translation by Giles Foster