Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xszb6d/greece_shipping_re) has announced the addition of the "Greece Shipping Report Q3 2012" report to their offering.

Despite the fact that Greece's economy is set to remain in recession for its fourth consecutive year, contracting by 6.9%, BMI is forecasting double digit growth at the main operations of Greece's two main ports.

These projections have been guided by the year to date data that is currently on offer, with the port of Piraeus total container throughput increasing by 110.3% in Q112, recent four-monthly data from one of the port's container terminal operators COSCO Pacific, which recorded a box throughput increase of 154% in January-April 2012 backs our bullish box view for Piraeus.

BMI also notes that this growth should not be viewed as expansion, but rather a recovery. The Port of Thessaloniki's 2012 throughput projection forecasts it to handle 15.7mn tonnes in 2012, a figure which is still some way off the 18.8mn tonnes, which it catered for in 2007.

Headline Industry Data:

- 2012 Port of Piraeus tonnage throughput forecast to decrease 1%.

- 2012 Port of Piraeus container throughput forecast to increase 60%.

- 2012 total trade growth forecast at -2.21%. Key Industry Trends Piraeus In The Black As Container Throughput Increases On the back of high container throughput increases through its two container terminals the port of Piraeus posted a first quarter profit.

Container throughput at the Piraeus port authority container terminal Pier 1 grew by 46% in the first quarter of 2012, while Q112 box throughput at the COSCO Pacific terminal (Pier II) grew by 110.3%.

Companies Mentioned:

Diana Shipping

Paragon Shipping

Navios Maritime Holdings

Excel Maritime Carriers

Maersk Line

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)

CMA CGM

COSCO Container Lines Company Limited (COSCON)

Hapag-Lloyd

Evergreen Line

APL

China Shipping Container Line (CSCL)

Hanjin Shipping (Container Operations)

Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) (Container)

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xszb6d/greece_shipping_re