Historic vessel prices are giving shipowners an opportunity to sell older tonnage and reinforce balance sheets as shipping markets remain strong, according to a company statement.
Greek shipowner Angeliki Frangou, chairwoman and chief executive of Navios Maritime Partners, said the industry was being reshaped by changing trade patterns, artificial intelligence investment, defence spending and technological change.
“We are at a unique moment in history, with an unusual mix of structural forces reshaping our markets. Conflict and mercantilism are shaping trade patterns. AI and defense spending are driving industrial demand. And technology is fundamentally changing the way we build and operate vessels,” Frangou said at the 18th Annual Capital Link New York Maritime Forum on September 30. She said owners should focus on financial strength and operational flexibility rather than trying to predict individual market shifts.
“Our job is not to predict these changes, but to maintain financial strength and operational flexibility so that we can adapt when change inevitably comes,” Frangou said. “In a market priced for perfection, our task is actually the same old task: to make sure we can prosper whether conditions remain favorable or whether they do not.”
Navios chief financial officer Eri Tsironi said the current market also gave owners an opportunity to monetise elevated asset values. “In today’s strong shipping market, companies should focus on reducing leverage, increasing liquidity, strengthening the balance sheet and securing contracted revenue backlog,” Tsironi said.
She said disposals of older vessels could monetise “today’s historical high prices”, while disciplined investment would help companies prepare for a future market correction.
Navios Maritime Partners is a Marshall Islands limited partnership formed in 2007 and an international owner and operator of dry bulk vessels, containerships and tankers. Its fleet comprised 175 vessels as of August 20, 2026, including 65 dry bulk ships, 50 containerships and 60 tankers, with newbuildings scheduled for delivery through 2029. Navios generated revenue of $767.2m and net income of $274.3m in the first half of 2026 and had $4.4bn of contracted revenue as of August 2026.