Huge slice of the global dry bulk and tanker fleets approaches retirement age

A year is a long time in shipping as new data on global fleet ages clearly shows.

Greek broker Xclusiv Shipbrokers has some sobering statistics on the growing vintage state of the global dry bulk and tanker fleets.

“Turning into 2025, vessels have added one year to their age, significantly altering the current discussion around fleet age groups,” Xclusiv stated in a new market report.

As of today, 13% of the total bulk carrier fleet is aged 21 years old or older, a 12% increase compared to the similar period of 2024. The 16-20-year-old age dry bulk group now accounts for 16% of the total bulk carrier fleet, a huge 29% increase compared to January 2024.

The vintage state of the tanker market is even more severe with Xclusiv data showing 18% of the total tanker fleet is now aged 21 years old or older ,also a 12% increase compared to the same period in 2024. The 16-20-year-old tanker age group constitutes 29% of the total tanker fleet, reflecting a 13% increase from January 2024.

In the 2020s to date, the container and LNG sectors have dominated shipyard orderbooks, elbowing out dry bulk and tanker owners from slots at the world’s premier shipbuilders. With fleets ageing rapidly, leading charterers acknowledge they will have to relax their restrictions on chartering older units.