Chapter 6 Financing Greek Shipping: Modern Instruments, Methods and Markets

The chapter discusses ship finance and analyzes modern instruments, methods and markets that shipping companies employ to fund their investment projects. In a highly dynamic and volatile business environment, ship finance becomes highly sophisticated, innovative and complex. Emphasis is placed particularly on financial innovations employed by Greek shipping companies that rank on top of international shipping. These financing instruments include new forms of bank lending, leasing and syndication, international equity initial public offerings (IPOs), private equity funding, high-yield bond issues, securitization and forward freight agreements (FFAs).