Former England soccer star Gary Lineker’s famous dictum about football and the Germans has been paraphrased several times to fit many different contexts.

One way it can be adapted to shipping goes something like this: it is a simple game in which vessels chase cargoes and, at the end, the Greeks win.

The industry’s latest crisis is proving that homespun truth once again: as one of the longest downturns in shipping history abates, the Greek-controlled fleet is emerging stronger, expanding steadily and cementing its position as the world’s largest.