Tough market is an opportunity to buy for Greek owners

Research by TradeWinds shows that up to 15 December, Greek owners had purchased 314 ships totalling 23.6 million dwt and spent $6.3bn in 2014.

That compared with a reported 389 vessels of 28 million dwt purchased in 2013 for around $6.8bn.

However, market phenomena affected the calculation of this year’s totals much more than in the past.

Figures in these annual roundups are subject to off-market deals, failed transactions and unrevealed prices but 2014 held even more twists and turns than usual.

For