Santander y BBVA disparan su peso entre los gigantes de la financiación marítima mundial

Two major banks, Santander and BBVA, have climbed to the top 6 in the rankings of the world's largest lenders for maritime financing. This achievement comes despite fierce competition from other major players in the industry. The surge in maritime finance over the past six years has driven intense competition among international institutions for a share of the market.

Strong shipowner performance and high operation profitability have been key factors driving Western banks back into the fray after years of largely relying on Chinese and Japanese capital. Currently, the ten most active banks in maritime financing are headquartered in Europe or the United States, according to Dealogic's MLA ranking for the first nine months of 2026.

Santander ranks third among global lenders, with a market share of 5.7% and 11 operations out of 112, while BBVA is placed sixth with 1.89 billion euros in attributed loans. Both banks have expanded their presence in maritime finance, with Santander being the third largest global provider and BBVA the sixth. BNP Paribas leads the market with a 9% share of over 47 billion euros in loans, while DNB Carnegie takes the second spot.

Santander, BBVA, and JPMorgan occupy the top 10 with the fewest operations, closely trailing JPMorgan in fifth place. The maritime financing market has experienced a boom over the past six years, fueled by strong shipowner earnings and sustained global demand for maritime transport.