(Bloomberg) — Shipowners in Greece, the biggest ship-operating nation, have placed a record $13.2 billion of orders with shipyards this year amid optimism about the outlook for freight rates, shipbroker George Moundreas & Co. said.The spending compares with $3.7 billion in 2005 and $6.9 billion in 2004, the previous record year, Moundreas data show.

November’s expenditure was almost equally split between ships that transport oil and those can carry commodities such as coal and steel.

The orders reflect the strength of the dry-bulk market and that shipowners are assuming the volatility in tanker freight rates is a “temporary fluctuation,” the Piraeus, Greece-based shipbroker said in an e-mailed report. Demand for shipping has been buoyed by a surge in economic growth in emerging nations including China, which is expanding at more than five times the rate of the European nations sharing the euro.

The companies ordered 44 vessels in November for a total of $1.91 billion and had options for another eight ships for a total price of $275 million, Moundreas said.

Among Greek companies that placed orders in November was closely held Remi Maritime Corp., which transports oil products and dry bulk.

The company plans to buy six tankers, each with a capacity of 93,000 deadweight tons, from South Korea’s Hyundai Samho Shipyard for $30 million each.

The ships are scheduled for delivery in 2009 and 2010, Moundreas said. Remi also has options for a further six such tankers, the broker said.

Transmed Shipping Ltd., another closely held company, plans to buy 10 bulk carriers, each with a capacity of 93,000 deadweight tons, for about $44 million apiece from China’s Jinglu Shipyard for delivery between 2008 and 2010, Moundreas said.

Pioneer Tankers Shipping Corp., also closely held, plans to buy four tankers, each with a capacity of 51,000 deadweight tons, for about $44 million a ship from China’s Guangzhou Shipyard International Co. for delivery in 2010, Moundreas said.