The number of vessels in the Greek merchant fleet continued to increase in May 2026, although the fleet’s total gross tonnage declined compared with the same month a year earlier, according to the latest figures released by the Hellenic Statistical Authority ( ELSTAT ). The Greek merchant fleet, comprising vessels of 100 gross tons (GT) and above, reached 1,871 ships in May 2026, representing a 1.8% increase from 1,838 vessels recorded in May 2025. This follows an annual increase of 0.8% registered in 2025. Despite the fleet expansion, total gross tonnage fell by 1.1% year-on-year to 34.7 million GT, compared with 35.1 million GT in May 2025. The previous year also recorded a decline, with tonnage decreasing by 3.5%. Passenger vessels recorded the strongest growth among all ship categories, increasing 4.1% to 830 vessels, while cargo ships declined 1.4% to 348 vessels. The number of tankers remained unchanged at 406 vessels, although their total gross tonnage slipped by 0.9%. The “other vessels” category grew 1.8% to 287 ships. The fleet continued to be dominated by larger vessels. Ships of 30,000 GT and above accounted for 371 vessels with a combined gross tonnage of 31.55 million GT, representing the overwhelming majority of the fleet’s carrying capacity. The statistics also show a gradual renewal of the fleet. The number of vessels aged up to five years increased 15.2% year-on-year to 144 ships, while vessels aged 5 to 10 years declined by 15%. At the other end of the age spectrum, ships aged 30 years and above increased slightly to 874 vessels, representing the largest age group by vessel numbers. The post Greek merchant fleet grows despite decline in gross tonnage appeared first on Container News .