SWITCH Maritime

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.

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

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

• Hydrogen fuel cells
• Ferry vessel leasing
• Maritime decarbonization
• Vessel development services
• Alternative marine propulsion

Headquarters

HQ city

Jackson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

Core 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

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Zero Emission IndustriescoreTechnology or IntegrationHydrogen technology R&D partner for the Sea Change vessel. Provides expertise in hydrogen fuel cell system development and integration.
• All American MarinecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVessel construction partner that built the Sea Change ferry. Pacific Northwest shipyard specializing in aluminum vessels.
• Incat CrowthercoreTechnology or IntegrationNaval architecture partner providing vessel design expertise for hydrogen ferry platforms.
• West Coast Clean FuelscoreTechnology or IntegrationHydrogen fuel supply chain partner coordinating clean hydrogen procurement and delivery for West Coast operations.
• Hornblower GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFerry operations advisor providing operational expertise and market knowledge for vessel development and deployment.
• CumminscoreTechnology or IntegrationFuel cell OEM providing fuel cell systems for hydrogen ferry propulsion. Global power and hydrogen technology provider.
• BAE SystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationProposition system integrator for electric propulsion systems. Provides hybrid electric drive technology for vessels.
• Hexagon PuruscoreTechnology or IntegrationHydrogen storage OEM providing compressed and liquid hydrogen storage systems for maritime vessels.
• Sandia National LaboratoriesstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner providing technical expertise and safety analysis for hydrogen systems in maritime applications.
• Energy Safety Response GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRegulatory advisor for SWITCH-150 platform providing hydrogen system safety and permitting expertise.
• LH2 ShippingcoreTechnology or IntegrationPropulsion system integrator for SWITCH-150 providing hydrogen system design and integration services.
• SEAMcoreTechnology or IntegrationHydrogen system design and safety advisor for SWITCH-150 platform development.
• KPFFcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering 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

Direct 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

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/switchmaritime
• Instagraminstagram.com/switchmaritime

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SWITCH Maritime