Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Ocean Engineering, 2004.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 132).The purpose of this thesis is to expand and analyze the decisions that are constantly being made by shipping companies concerning acquisition of newbuildings, the construction of newbuildings, operational aspects as well as financial issues concerning a shipping company. The issues that shall be analyzed and discussed have been deduced after extended discussions with technical directors of some of the major Greek Shipping Companies. Once all issues at hand have been deduced, this thesis shall provide a general introduction, and consequently an analysis of each and every major event at hand, indicating Shipping Company's various options. The next step shall be to analyze the results of all the interviews, and then finally give further comments and suggestions concerning each and every major event at hand shall be indicated.by Vasileios Maroulis.S.M
