Elliott Bay Design Group
Elliott Bay Design Group is an employee-owned, Seattle-based marine engineering and naval architecture firm delivering vessel design, refurbishment, and hybrid-electric propulsion services to ferry operators, shipyards, and government agencies across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Elliott Bay Design Group does
Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) is a full-service marine engineering and naval architecture firm founded in 1988 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with a regional office in Metairie, Louisiana. The firm delivers end-to-end engineering services — feasibility studies, vessel design, refurbishment and repair, shipyard support, lifespan analysis, and specialty project work — across a broad vessel portfolio that includes ferries, passenger vessels, barges, tugs, workboats, and fishing vessels. EBDG has developed a domain specialization in hybrid-electric and fully electric propulsion system design, with reference projects including the hybrid-electric retrofit of the Washington State Ferry Wenatchee (the largest hybrid-electric vessel in the U.S., representing roughly 25% of Washington State Ferries' annual fuel consumption), a 65-foot hybrid-electric research vessel for the Lake Superior Research Institute, and a hybrid-electric tour boat for Port Houston.
The firm operates as a project-based professional services business. Revenue is generated through enterprise field sales — custom, technically complex engagements scoped directly with vessel owners, operators, and shipyards — rather than via subscriptions or self-serve channels. The firm is employee-owned, with ownership eligibility available to staff after one year of employment and profit sharing included in benefits; E-Verify and Title VI Civil Rights Act compliance support eligibility for U.S. public-sector maritime contracts. In February and March 2024, EBDG executed back-to-back acquisitions of Coastwise Corporation (an Alaska-focused marine engineering firm, including principal engineer Patrick Eberhardt) and Coastwise Engineering (a maritime activity reports company), extending its geographic footprint into Alaska and adding a recurring data/content capability alongside its core engineering practice.
The firm's customer base skews toward government and public-sector buyers — Washington State Ferries, Port Houston, Whatcom County Public Works, Delaware River and Bay Authority (via FTA-funded hybrid-electric ferry design) — complemented by education-sector research clients and a long tail of private vessel operators and shipyards. Combined with the Wenatchee retrofit, Lake Superior Research Institute vessel, and Port Houston tour boat projects, this reference set positions EBDG as a recognized specialist in U.S. ferry and workboat electrification at a moment when the underlying fleet is reaching end of service life and federal funding is flowing toward emissions reduction.
Elliott Bay Design Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Elliott Bay Design Group
- Legal name
- Elliott Bay Design Group
- Website
- https://ebdg.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Elliott Bay Design Group is an employee-owned, Seattle-based marine engineering and naval architecture firm delivering vessel design, refurbishment, and hybrid-electric propulsion services to ferry operators, shipyards, and government agencies across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Elliott Bay Design Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Engineering Services
- NAICS
- Engineering Services (54133), Ship and Boat Building (3366)
- SIC
- Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Electrical Engineering & Power Distribution (Generation, Switchboards, Cabling, Lighting) (IMAJAGAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Marine Systems Engineering (Piping, HVAC, Fuel, Ballast, Firefighting) (IMAJAGAD), Navigation, Communications & Integrated Bridge Systems Engineering (IMAJAGAH), Concept & Feasibility Naval Architecture (Requirements, Trade Studies) (IMAJAGAA), Project Management & Owner’s Engineering / Technical Consultancy (Spec Writing, Bid Support, Site Support) (IMAJAGAO)
Keywords
Where Elliott Bay Design Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Elliott Bay Design Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture Professional Services: EBDG generates revenue through project-based engineering and naval architecture engagements with vessel owners, operators, and shipyards. Services include feasibility studies, vessel design, refurbishment, repair, shipyard support, and lifespan analysis. Revenue is project-based and service-fee driven rather than recurring subscriptions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | — | Project-based professional services — no public pricing tiers available |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Elliott Bay Design Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EBDG is a full-service marine engineering and naval architecture firm delivering project-based professional services including feasibility studies, vessel design, refurbishment, repair, shipyard support, and lifespan analysis across ferry, passenger, workboat, tug, barge, and fishing vessel categories. The firm has specialized capabilities in hybrid-electric and electric propulsion system design and integration for vessel retrofits and new builds.
Product overview
Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) is a full-service marine engineering and naval architecture firm offering a unified suite of services including feasibility studies, vessel design, refurbishment and repair, shipyard support, and lifespan analysis. The company's portfolio encompasses specialized vessel design categories (Ferries, Passenger Vessels, Barges, Tugs, Workboats, Fishing Vessels), Infrastructure Services, Analysis, and Specialty Projects. EBDG operates as a single integrated service offering rather than a modular product platform. The firm expanded its capabilities through the 2024 acquisition of Coastwise Corporation, gaining additional marine engineering expertise and regional growth in Alaska.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture Services
- Hybrid-Electric Propulsion System Design
- Ferry Design
- Passenger Vessel Design
- Tug and Barge Design
- Workboat Design
- Fishing Vessel Design
- Marine Infrastructure Services
- Analysis and Specialty Projects
Quantifiable outcome
- Washington State Ferry Wenatchee (largest hybrid-electric vessel in U.S.) responsible for 25% of ferry system's total annual fuel allotment
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Elliott Bay Design Group
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Elliott Bay Design Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Elliott Bay Design Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Coastwise CorporationcoreEBDG acquired Coastwise Corporation and its assets, including principal engineer Patrick Eberhardt, to expand its marine engineering footprint in Alaska. The partnership combines Coastwise's expertise and design portfolio with EBDG's solutions, enabling larger projects and regional growth. The acquisition was also reported on March 20, 2024 via MarineLink.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Elliott Bay Design Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Aurora Marine Design: Aurora Marine Design is a smaller U.S. naval architecture firm providing design and engineering support for commercial workboats, ferries, and small passenger vessels. It overlaps with EBDG's service mix and target clients at a smaller scale and may either be a future acquisition target or regional competitor.
Direct peers
- Jensen Maritime Consultants: Jensen Maritime is a naval architecture and marine engineering firm focused on Jones Act vessels, tugs, and offshore support. It is comparable to EBDG in scale and service mix, serving U.S. operators and shipyards with newbuild and refurbishment design, including hybrid-electric and emissions-reduction projects.
- Bristol Harbor Group: Bristol Harbor Group is a Rhode Island-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm that performs vessel design, structural analysis, and shipyard support for commercial and research clients. Comparable in size and service scope to EBDG, with an emphasis on U.S. ferry, research, and small commercial workboats.
- Glosten: Glosten is a Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy providing vessel design, hybrid-electric, and lifecycle support services. Like EBDG, it serves ferry operators (including Washington State Ferries), research institutions, and shipyards on complex naval architecture engagements and shares both geography and target clientele.
- Robert Allan Ltd. Robert Allan Ltd. is a Vancouver-based naval architecture firm specializing in tugboats, workboats, and fireboats. EBDG and Robert Allan both deliver custom vessel design to commercial marine operators and shipyards, with overlapping expertise in hybrid and electric propulsion retrofits and newbuilds.
Others
- Wärtsilä Marine: Wärtsilä supplies ship electrical, hybrid, and propulsion systems and lifecycle services. Comparable to ABB, it is an enabling technology provider rather than a competing design firm, but intersects with EBDG wherever hybrid-electric propulsion systems are specified on U.S. ferry and small-vessel projects.
- ABB Marine & Ports: ABB is a global supplier of marine propulsion, electrical, and hybrid-electric power systems. While not a peer design firm, ABB is an adjacent ecosystem participant whose technology EBDG integrates into ferries and workboats (e.g., Wenatchee), and is a key channel partner for hybrid-electric vessel programs.
Broad incumbents
- Incat Crowther: Incat Crowther is a specialist ship design house for high-speed ferries, passenger vessels, and workboats, with strong hybrid/electric propulsion capabilities globally. It overlaps with EBDG's ferry and passenger vessel design practice and represents an international benchmark for low-emission vessel design.
- BMT Group: BMT is a large international marine engineering and naval architecture consultancy serving commercial, defense, and offshore markets. It offers overlapping services (vessel design, hybrid/electric propulsion, fleet support) to many of the same operators EBDG targets, but at greater scale and broader geographic footprint.
Regional players
- Herbert Engineering: Herbert Engineering is a U.S. West Coast naval architecture firm providing vessel design and marine engineering support. It overlaps with EBDG on ferry and small commercial vessel projects in the U.S. Pacific market but is smaller in scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Elliott Bay Design Group social profiles
Digital presenceElliott Bay Design Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Elliott Bay Design Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Elliott Bay Design Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Elliott Bay Design Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Elliott Bay Design Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Elliott Bay Design Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Elliott Bay Design Group
What does Elliott Bay Design Group do?
EBDG is a full-service marine engineering and naval architecture firm delivering project-based professional services including feasibility studies, vessel design, refurbishment, repair, shipyard support, and lifespan analysis across ferry, passenger, workboat, tug, barge, and fishing vessel categories. The firm has specialized capabilities in hybrid-electric and electric propulsion system design and integration for vessel retrofits and new builds.
Is Elliott Bay Design Group a public or private company?
Elliott Bay Design Group is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Elliott Bay Design Group founded?
Elliott Bay Design Group was founded in 1988. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Elliott Bay Design Group based?
Elliott Bay Design Group is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Elliott Bay Design Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: marine Engineering and Naval Architecture Professional Services.
Who are Elliott Bay Design Group's main competitors?
Aurora Marine Design is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Jensen Maritime Consultants, Bristol Harbor Group, Glosten and Robert Allan Ltd.. Others are Wärtsilä Marine and ABB Marine & Ports. Broad incumbents are Incat Crowther and BMT Group. Herbert Engineering is listed as a regional player.
Does Elliott Bay Design Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Elliott Bay Design Group.
What industry is Elliott Bay Design Group in?
Elliott Bay Design Group's product category is Marine Engineering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAGAF, Electrical Engineering & Power Distribution (Generation, Switchboards, Cabling, Lighting), with a secondary code of IMAJAGAD, Marine Systems Engineering (Piping, HVAC, Fuel, Ballast, Firefighting). Its NAICS code is 54133 and its SIC code is 3730.