Global ship financing from the banking sector has remained steady over the course of the past 12 months, amounting close to $400 billion, almost identical to last year’s, said Petrofin Research in its latest survey.

It’s worth noting though, that during the same period, the global fleet rose by 1.76\%, from 89,676 to 91,526 vessels, which is a clear testament that this growth was achieved through alternative finances, other than banking sources, like private equity funds, or enhanced equity by owners. Of course, this isn’t something new, as Petrofin’s data supports the view that bank ship finance in relation to the world fleet has been contracting as a source of shipping funding for the past eight years.