Wight Shipyard Co

What Wight Shipyard Co does

Wight Shipyard Co (WSC) is a privately held UK aluminium shipbuilder headquartered in Southampton with manufacturing operations in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The company designs and builds custom high-speed passenger ferries, low-wash catamarans for river and coastal operations, crew transfer vessels for offshore wind, hybrid patrol craft for port authorities and government agencies, and explorer yachts. Its core technology stack combines lightweight aluminium construction techniques (yielding vessels up to 20,000 kg lighter than comparable models), fuel-efficient catamaran hull forms (delivering 11–30% fuel reductions across successive Red Jet generations), and hybrid propulsion systems using Transfluid marine hybrid units paired with MTU or Scania diesels and Rolls-Royce Kamewa waterjets. WSC works closely with three core naval-architecture partners — Incat Crowther, One2three Naval Architects, and Chartwell Marine — and holds ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001 certifications plus the 2021 Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade.

WSC operates a project-based, direct enterprise sales model selling multimillion-pound custom vessels one at a time to a small set of anchor customers including Red Funnel, MBNA Thames Clippers, Twin City Liner (Austria), Ultramar (Mexico), Loch Ness by Jacobite, and Arksen. Revenue is split between new-build construction and a recurring refit, repair, and overhaul service line (supplemented by sister company Southampton Marine Services, which handles superyacht restoration). The yard is supported by a 260T travel hoist capable of lifting vessels up to 55m in length, and serves four primary verticals: commercial ferry operators, government maritime authorities, luxury yacht owners, and renewable-energy wind farm operators. Geographic reach spans the UK domestic market plus exports to Central Europe and North America.

The company was founded in 2010 as Shemara Refit LLP, rebranded as Wight Shipyard Co in 2016, and currently employs 51–100 staff (with stated headcount of 75+ plus dedicated apprentices) across welding and fabrication, marine engineering, design, and outfitting trades. Notable recent strategic activity includes the announced all-share merger with multinational shipbuilder OCEA, the 2019 launch of the Vortisea WFSV brand for offshore wind, and the 2024 launch of the WAR8m RIB prototype. The firm has no external venture capital funding rounds disclosed in the available sources.

Name

Wight Shipyard Co

Legal name

Wight Shipyard Co Ltd

Website

https://wightshipyard.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Wight Shipyard Co is a privately held UK aluminium shipbuilder on the Isle of Wight that designs and builds custom high-speed passenger ferries, hybrid patrol vessels, wind farm crew transfer craft, and explorer yachts for enterprise customers including ferry operators, port authorities, and government agencies across the UK, Austria, and Mexico.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aluminium Shipbuilding

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (3366)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury Catamaran (Power & Sail) Manufacturing (IMAJAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Offshore Wind & Renewable Support Vessel Construction (SOV, CTV, WTIV) (IMAJACAG), Hull, Structure & Steelwork Repair (TLAKAKAE)

Keywords

• Aluminium shipbuilding
• High-speed ferries
• Catamaran construction
• Hybrid patrol vessels
• Windfarm support vessels

Headquarters

HQ city

East Cowes

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. New Vessel Construction: WSC builds custom aluminium high-speed ferries, catamarans, patrol vessels, workboats, and explorer yachts to customer specifications. Revenue is generated through one-time vessel sales to ferry operators, port authorities, government agencies, and private yacht owners. Notable projects include Red Jet 6 (£6m investment), Mercury and Jupiter Clippers (£6.3m investment), and Ultramar export ferries (multi-million pound).
2. Refit, Repair and Overhaul Services: WSC offers comprehensive refit, repair and overhaul services for commercial operators and luxury yacht owners, including vessel upgrades, life extension projects, docking, hull inspections, and engineering project management. The 260T travel hoist supports vessels from 16m to 55m length and up to 260T weight.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wight Shipyard Co (WSC) is a UK-based aluminium shipbuilder that designs, constructs and delivers custom high-speed passenger ferries, catamarans, hybrid patrol vessels, workboats and rigid inflatable boats (RIBs). The company also provides comprehensive refit, repair and overhaul services for commercial operators and luxury yacht owners through its East Cowes shipyard (featuring a 260T travel hoist) and Southampton head office.

Product overview

Wight Shipyard Co is Europe's leading aluminium shipbuilder offering a portfolio of specialised vessels and services. The core product line includes high-speed passenger ferries (32m-41m catamarans), the Hybrid CTV SES workboat for windfarm operations, 9m Hybrid Patrol Vessels for authorities, and the RIB WAR8m recreational craft. Services include luxury yacht revival through sister company Southampton Marine Services, and comprehensive refit/repair capabilities with a 260T travel hoist. Design partnerships with One2three Naval Architects, Incat Crowther, and Chartwell Marine enable customised solutions across ferry, patrol, and explorer vessel segments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High Speed Ferries Aluminium high-speed passenger ferries ranging from 32m to 41m, designed for fast ferry operations with fuel-efficient catamaran hullforms. Includes 33m and 38m passenger ferries for commercial operators.
• Hybrid CTV SES Hybrid Crew Transfer Vessel with Surface Effect Ship technology, designed for offshore windfarm support operations. Handles 2m significant wave height during technician transfer with 50% engine operating hour reduction during battery standby.
• 9m Hybrid Patrol Vessel Hybrid-powered patrol and pilot vessel for port authorities, Police, MOD, and Royal Navy. Operates at 6 knots electric speed and 25 knots main power speed, meeting strict pollution standards.
• Vortisea WFSV Windfarm Support Vessel (WFSV) brand launched in collaboration with Incat Crowther, available in 27m and 32m sizes. Designed for European and UK windfarms with operating speeds exceeding 30 knots and multiple propulsion options including hybrid.
• RIB WAR8m All-weather rigid inflatable boat (RIB) powered by 300hp Mercury V8 Fourstroke Outboard, achieving 48 knots top speed with self-draining deck and custom suspension seats. Priced at £100,000 + VAT.
• Luxury Yacht Revival Superyacht revival and restoration services through sister company Southampton Marine Services, with sympathetic attention to retention of original elegance while reconfiguring interior and deck spaces for modern living.
• Refit, Repair and Overhaul Services Refit, repair and overhaul services for commercial operators and luxury yacht owners, including vessel upgrades, life extension projects, and docking. Features 260T travel hoist for vessels up to 55m length and 260T weight.

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.

• Chartwell MarinestrategicTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019Chartwell Marine (Andy Page, Managing Director) designed the 9m Hybrid Patrol Vessel, WSC's first vessel in the new Chasewell range of pilot and patrol boats. The partnership focuses on hybrid propulsion architecture and innovative hull forms optimised through CFD testing for efficient performance under both diesel and electrical propulsion.
• Transfluid / Marine and Industrial Transmissions Limited (MIT)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019Transfluid and MIT provided the hybrid system for WSC's 9m Hybrid Patrol Vessel. The Transfluid HM560 marine hybrid unit delivers up to 164kW diesel power and 20kW electric power with rechargeable batteries and an integral battery management system. MIT was selected for its technical expertise and tried-and-tested system.
• ArksenstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019WSC was appointed as the build partner for Arksen's fleet of hybrid explorer vessels (Arksen 70, 85, and 100). The partnership also includes Humphreys Yacht Design (exterior) and Design Unlimited (interior). Arksen aims to build the most capable and efficient explorer vessels with a cradle-to-grave environmental approach. WSC CEO Peter Morton serves a leadership role in the Arksen project.
• Southampton Marine Services (SMS)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019SMS is WSC's sister company specialising in superyacht revival and restoration. WSC started life in 2010 as Shemara Refit LLP, born out of a project to revive a magnificent motor yacht. SMS continues to handle superyacht restoration work while WSC focuses on newbuilds and commercial vessel refits.
• Incat CrowthercoreTechnology or IntegrationIncat Crowther is WSC's key naval architecture partner, providing designs for the Vortisea WFSV brand, Ultramar fast ferries, and the Twin City Liner river catamaran. The partnership has delivered multiple vessels across wind farm support, ferry, and export segments. WSC described Incat Crowther as 'the best partner for this brand of vessel.'
• One2three Naval ArchitectscoreTechnology or IntegrationOne2three Naval Architects (Sydney, Australia) designed the Mercury Clipper, Jupiter Clipper, Venus Clipper (Hunt Class Mk3), Jacobite Maverick, and 33m Passenger Ferry. WSC works with One2three as a preferred designer for its high-speed ferry portfolio, including the largest UK fast ferry order in over 25 years.
• Humphreys Yacht DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumphreys Yacht Design provides exterior design for the Arksen explorer vessel series being built by WSC.
• Design UnlimitedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign Unlimited provides interior design for the Arksen explorer vessel series being built by WSC.
• OCEAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWSC announced a merger with multinational shipbuilder OCEA through an innovative all-share deal. The merger is intended to secure the long-term future of the Isle of Wight shipyard and its workforce.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• OCEA: OCEA (France) is a multinational shipbuilder specializing in aluminum patrol vessels, fast intervention craft, and ferries — directly comparable to WSC in product portfolio and is the announced merger partner of Wight Shipyard Co.
• Fassmer Shipyards: Fassmer (Germany) builds ferries, patrol vessels, and offshore vessels with deep European ferry operator relationships — directly comparable to WSC's aluminum commercial ferry and patrol vessel offerings, particularly in EMEA markets.
• Diverse Marine: Diverse Marine (Portland, UK) builds aluminum commercial vessels including ferries, pilot boats, and workboats — a direct UK peer to WSC's commercial aluminum ferry and patrol vessel work.
• Incat: Incat (Hobart, Tasmania) is the world's leading builder of high-speed aluminum catamaran ferries and ships, producing vessels up to 130m — directly comparable to WSC's aluminum high-speed craft and ferry business across similar passenger ferry and offshore support customers.
• Austal: Austal (Henderson, Australia) is a global shipbuilder of aluminum catamaran ferries, naval vessels, and patrol boats — directly comparable to WSC across commercial fast ferries, defense/government patrol craft, and high-speed aluminum construction.
• Brødrene Aa: Brødrene Aa (Hy素anger, Norway) specializes in lightweight carbon-fiber and aluminum high-speed ferries and passenger vessels — directly comparable to WSC on high-speed ferry design, lightweight construction, and Northern European ferry operator customers.

Regional players

• Aluminium Shipbuilders Ltd: Aluminium Shipbuilders Ltd (Fishbourne, Isle of Wight) builds aluminum vessels for commercial operators — a direct adjacent peer to WSC, co-located on the Isle of Wight, with overlapping capabilities in aluminum shipbuilding.

Broad incumbents

• CMN (Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie): CMN (Cherbourg, France) builds aluminum fast patrol vessels, naval craft, and high-performance vessels — overlaps with WSC's patrol and high-speed craft segments, particularly relevant given the OCEA merger dynamic in French shipbuilding.
• Damen Shipyards: Damen (Gorinchem, Netherlands) is one of the world's largest shipbuilders producing ferries, patrol vessels, offshore vessels, and workboats — overlaps with WSC's segments but operates at much larger scale across the full maritime spectrum.

Emerging players

• Strategic Marine: Strategic Marine (Singapore/Australia) builds high-speed aluminum catamaran ferries and offshore vessels — comparable to WSC's high-speed craft product lines and serves the offshore wind crew transfer segment that WSC's Vortisea brand targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WightShipyard
• Facebookfacebook.com/wightshipyardco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wightshipyardco

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Wight Shipyard Co