SWITCH Maritime
SWITCH Maritime LLC develops hydrogen fuel cell-electric ferry vessels and end-to-end fleet transition services for commercial and government ferry operators in the US, with its first vessel (Sea Change) operational in San Francisco since July 2024.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersJackson, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SWITCH Maritime does
SWITCH Maritime LLC is a US-based maritime technology company that develops hydrogen fuel cell-electric vessels and provides end-to-end fleet transition services to commercial and government ferry operators. Founded in 2018 and headquartered at 1 Ferry Building, Suite 201 in San Francisco, the company builds hydrogen-powered ferries designed as drop-in replacements for aging diesel vessels, with primary target markets in dense urban coastal geographies such as San Francisco and New York City. Its core propulsion system converts hydrogen to electricity via fuel cells to power electric motors, with onboard batteries providing auxiliary power and water vapor as the only direct byproduct; vessels are designed to fuel once per day or longer to match diesel ferry fueling cadence, and mobile truck-and-trailer hydrogen delivery is used in lieu of permanent shore infrastructure.
SWITCH Maritime firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SWITCH Maritime
- Legal name
- SWITCH Maritime LLC
- Website
- https://switchmaritime.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SWITCH Maritime LLC develops hydrogen fuel cell-electric ferry vessels and end-to-end fleet transition services for commercial and government ferry operators in the US, with its first vessel (Sea Change) operational in San Francisco since July 2024.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SWITCH Maritime industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hydrogen Ferry Development & Leasing
- NAICS
- Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (33661)
- SIC
- Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine Hybrid & Electric Propulsion Systems (IMAJAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Propulsion, Power & Energy Systems Design (Diesel, Hybrid, Electric, Alternative Fuels) (IMAJAGAE), Integrated Marine Electrical Systems & Switchboards (IMAJAJAA)
Keywords
Where SWITCH Maritime is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Jackson
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
SWITCH Maritime business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Vessel Leasing: Short- and long-term leasing arrangements for hydrogen fuel cell vessels. Operators lease vessels rather than making large upfront capital purchases. Leasing packages can include fueling and charging equipment.
- Vessel Development Services: End-to-end development services including concept design, impact analysis, shipyard construction management, permitting, vessel commissioning and launch. Revenue from development fees and project management.
- Hydrogen Fuel Supply: Supply chain development and hydrogen procurement coordinated for operators. Costs passed through to operators as part of the operational package.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
SWITCH Maritime product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SWITCH Maritime develops, designs, and delivers hydrogen fuel cell-electric ferry vessels to commercial and government ferry operators. The company manages the entire transition end-to-end, including vessel design, shipyard construction oversight, hydrogen fuel supply chain development, regulatory approvals, crew training, and ongoing operational support. Vessels are offered through flexible leasing arrangements rather than outright sales. Its first vessel, the Sea Change, entered commercial operation as a private charter in San Francisco, CA in July 2024 as the first hydrogen fuel cell-electric passenger ferry to receive a US Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection in the United States.
Product overview
SWITCH Maritime is a hydrogen fuel cell vessel developer that delivers end-to-end hydrogen ferry solutions to maritime operators. The company operates a platform-plus-services model centered on four distinct hydrogen ferry platforms: Sea Change (the first US hydrogen ferry, operational), SWITCH-150 (150-passenger commuter ferry in development), SWITCH-300 (300-passenger high-speed ferry in concepting), and SWITCH-RoPax (300-passenger/80-car vehicle ferry adapting a Norwegian design for US waters). All vessels use hydrogen fuel cell-electric hybrid propulsion technology, with services including vessel design/construction, hydrogen fuel supply chain development, regulatory approvals, crew training, flexible leasing/financing, and ongoing technical support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sea Change: 75-passenger hydrogen fuel cell-electric ferry; the first hydrogen-powered ferry approved and operating in the US; launched 2024; operates as private charter in San Francisco.
- SWITCH-150
- SWITCH-300
- SWITCH-RoPax
Quantifiable outcome
- 96% reduction in GHG emissions vs diesel operators
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use SWITCH Maritime
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
SWITCH Maritime technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
SWITCH Maritime partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.
- Zero Emission IndustriescoreHydrogen technology R&D partner for the Sea Change vessel. Provides expertise in hydrogen fuel cell system development and integration.
- All American MarinecoreVessel construction partner that built the Sea Change ferry. Pacific Northwest shipyard specializing in aluminum vessels.
- Incat CrowthercoreNaval architecture partner providing vessel design expertise for hydrogen ferry platforms.
- West Coast Clean FuelscoreHydrogen fuel supply chain partner coordinating clean hydrogen procurement and delivery for West Coast operations.
- Hornblower GroupcoreFerry operations advisor providing operational expertise and market knowledge for vessel development and deployment.
- CumminscoreFuel cell OEM providing fuel cell systems for hydrogen ferry propulsion. Global power and hydrogen technology provider.
- BAE SystemscoreProposition system integrator for electric propulsion systems. Provides hybrid electric drive technology for vessels.
- Hexagon PuruscoreHydrogen storage OEM providing compressed and liquid hydrogen storage systems for maritime vessels.
- Sandia National LaboratoriesstrategicResearch partner providing technical expertise and safety analysis for hydrogen systems in maritime applications.
- Energy Safety Response GroupcoreRegulatory advisor for SWITCH-150 platform providing hydrogen system safety and permitting expertise.
- LH2 ShippingcorePropulsion system integrator for SWITCH-150 providing hydrogen system design and integration services.
- SEAMcoreHydrogen system design and safety advisor for SWITCH-150 platform development.
- KPFFcoreEngineering and consulting partner. Conducted independent techno-economic analysis comparing hydrogen, diesel, and battery-electric propulsion for NYC Ferry routes.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SWITCH Maritime competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Norled: Norwegian ferry operator that launched MF Hydra, the world's first liquid-hydrogen-powered car and passenger ferry, which serves as the direct reference design for Switch's SWITCH-RoPax platform. Both companies operate hydrogen ferries in commercial service.
- Fjord1: Norwegian ferry operator running multiple hydrogen fuel cell ferries in commercial passenger service. Closest international comparable in deploying hydrogen propulsion on scheduled ferry routes at fleet scale.
- Corvus Energy: Leading supplier of battery energy storage systems for marine vessels including hybrid and fully electric ferries globally. Direct substitute technology provider competing with Switch for zero-emission ferry propulsion contracts.
- Echandia: Swedish supplier of battery and hybrid energy systems for marine vessels including ferries. Competes directly with Switch in providing zero-emission propulsion systems to ferry operators.
Emerging players
- Tidal Transit: UK-based operator of hydrogen-powered crew transfer vessels for offshore wind. Uses the same hydrogen fuel cell propulsion concept as Switch but in offshore wind logistics rather than passenger ferries.
- PowerCell Sweden: Developer and manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cell stacks used in marine applications, including marine propulsion. Adjacent technology supplier with overlap into Switch's hydrogen vessel market.
- Havyard: Norwegian shipbuilder and technology group developing hydrogen and hybrid propulsion vessels, including ferries. Closest shipyard-side peer building hydrogen-powered ships in commercial operation.
Broad incumbents
- Wärtsilä: Global marine systems incumbent offering engines, hybrid propulsion, and future-fuel solutions including hydrogen readiness for ships. Competes broadly in the marine propulsion space Switch targets with hydrogen fuel cell systems.
- ABB Marine: Supplies marine electrical propulsion, power, and automation systems including hybrid-electric solutions for ferries. Competes as an incumbent enabling technology provider alongside Switch's hydrogen propulsion platform.
- Kongsberg Maritime: Provides marine propulsion, automation, and hydrogen fuel cell system integration for ships. Competes in marine propulsion technology where Switch deploys its hydrogen vessel platforms.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SWITCH Maritime social profiles
Digital presenceSWITCH Maritime compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
SWITCH Maritime financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SWITCH Maritime leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
SWITCH Maritime funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SWITCH Maritime M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SWITCH Maritime
What does SWITCH Maritime do?
SWITCH Maritime develops, designs, and delivers hydrogen fuel cell-electric ferry vessels to commercial and government ferry operators. The company manages the entire transition end-to-end, including vessel design, shipyard construction oversight, hydrogen fuel supply chain development, regulatory approvals, crew training, and ongoing operational support. Vessels are offered through flexible leasing arrangements rather than outright sales. Its first vessel, the Sea Change, entered commercial operation as a private charter in San Francisco, CA in July 2024 as the first hydrogen fuel cell-electric passenger ferry to receive a US Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection in the United States.
Is SWITCH Maritime a public or private company?
SWITCH Maritime is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was SWITCH Maritime founded?
SWITCH Maritime was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SWITCH Maritime based?
SWITCH Maritime is headquartered in Jackson, United States, in the North America region.
How does SWITCH Maritime make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Vessel Leasing is the primary driver. The others are vessel Development Services and hydrogen Fuel Supply.
Who are SWITCH Maritime's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Norled, Fjord1, Corvus Energy and Echandia. Emerging players are Tidal Transit, PowerCell Sweden and Havyard. Broad incumbents are Wärtsilä, ABB Marine and Kongsberg Maritime.
Does SWITCH Maritime have an API?
No public API is recorded for SWITCH Maritime.
What industry is SWITCH Maritime in?
SWITCH Maritime's product category is Hydrogen Ferry Development & Leasing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAHAC, Marine Hybrid & Electric Propulsion Systems, with a secondary code of IMAJAGAE, Propulsion, Power & Energy Systems Design (Diesel, Hybrid, Electric, Alternative Fuels). Its NAICS code is 336611 and its SIC code is 3730.