Taking advantage of the high freight rates of the year 1900, resulting from the Second Boer War in South Africa, N.D. Lykiardopulo purchased his second steamship in 1903, the “PHOTIS”, and several more during the next decade. This included his first newly built steamship, the “FOTIS”, delivered by Robert Thompson & Sons of Sunderland in 1912.

This was the beginning of a tradition, continuing to this day, of the Company operating very modern vessels, usually newbuildings constructed to its own exacting specifications. By 1914, on the eve of the First World War, N.D. Lykiardopulo operated seven steamships, already ranking him one of the top ten Greek ship owners.

After the outbreak of WWI in 1914 the Company quickly purchased several more ships. Within 1915 it found itself operating 10 steamers, its largest fleet size to date, including one being managed for a third party client.

However, the last years of the Great War proved disastrous for the Company, suffering as it did between 1916 and 1918 the loss due to enemy action of five of its vessels, all sunk by submarines. A sixth ship was lost after a collision, a result of a maritime accident. The Company’s first new construction, the “FOTIS” of 1912, survived the War, however its second, the “GERASIMOS” of 1913, did not, being torpedoed in December 1917.

After WWI the Company embarked on a fleet replacement program, purchasing a total of 13 ships over the next 20 years until WWII. Three of these were almost new war surplus ships, bought from the UK Government Shipping Controller. They were the “MOUNT ATHOS” (later renamed “ANNA”), ex “WAR BIRCH”, the “KATE”, ex “WAR ENVOY”, and the third which was launched as “WAR LOBELIA” at William Doxford & Sons of Sunderland, England, but was delivered to the Company as the “PANAGHIS”, in March 1920.

Eight of the ships purchased between the wars were older second hand vessels, with the “CHLOE”, the oldest, being already 25 years old when purchased in 1924.

Neda Maritime Agency suffered further heavy losses of tonnage during WW2. At the end of hostilities, unlike many other Greek companies which opted to purchase Liberty ships, Neda purchased its first tanker (a T2 renamed "KATE NL"), thus becoming the first Greek company to operate tankers. Since then, Neda has maintained an unbroken history of operating tanker vessels alongside its dry cargo fleet.

During the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's, Neda Maritime Agency resumed its newbuilding programme, ordering a large number of tankers of increasing sizes over that time. Neda was one of the first foreign companies to place an order in Japan (m/t "ANTZOULETTA" of 16,000 dwt in 1952 from Hitachi Zosen, then known as Osaka Iron Works). This was the start of a long and fruitful relationship between Neda Maritime and Hitachi Zosen (now Universal Shipbuilding) which in 2000 celebrated the 50th year of co-operation between the two companies, with Neda taking delivery of Hitachi Zosen's 100th Panamax bulkcarrier (m/v "SPARTIA" of 75,000 dwt).

Within the first decade of the 21st century, the Neda fleet has expanded due to increased world cargo demand to more than double its numbers of previous decades, and a fourfold increase in its tonnage, with over 70 sale and purchase transactions having been made during this period, including taking delivery of 16 newbuildings. At the start of 2012 the Neda fleet numbered 27 vessels, tankers and bulk carriers, of which five are VLCCs and eight are Capesize bulk carriers, totalling a deadweight tonnage of almost 4.5 million metric tonnes.

A continuing newbuilding programme for delivery of vessels in the coming years seeks to maintain the Company's tradition and practice of offering our clients a modern, high quality fleet, with exceptional standards of technical maintenance and operational professionalism.