What Master Boat Builders does

Master Boat Builders, Inc. is a family-owned, Alabama-based custom shipyard founded in 1979 in Coden, Alabama, by James and Michael Rice after Hurricane Frederic destroyed their seafood business. Over more than 40 years the yard has built approximately 450 vessels — initially small utility boats, then shrimp boats through the late 1980s and 1990s, then oil supply vessels up to 220 feet through the early 2000s — and has since pivoted decisively into harbor tugboats, Advanced Rotor Tugs (ARTs), and Articulated Tug Barges (ATBs). The current product portfolio centers on the Robert Allan Ltd.-designed RApport series (2600, 2700, 2800, and 3000-H), Advanced Rotor Tugs, ATB tugs for LNG bunkering, and the eWolf, the first all-electric ship assist harbor tugboat in the United States (delivered to Crowley in 2024 with ABB electrical propulsion and Corvus Energy battery storage). Hybrid propulsion systems integrate Berg MTA 628 azimuthing thrusters with VS3 variable frequency drives and seamless power-mode switching. Thruster systems include Kongsberg US 205S FP and Schottel SRP/SRP-FP Z-drives, while primary engines are EPA Tier 4 Caterpillar 3512E/3516E units.

The business operates as a direct, enterprise field-sales model — no resellers or distribution channels — with revenue earned per vessel under negotiated contracts with maritime operators, LNG terminal service providers, and government defense programs. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by vessel specification, complexity, and required propulsion technology. The customer base is concentrated in three primary segments: domestic and international tugboat operators (Crowley, Seabulk, Moran Towing, Suderman & Young, Maritime Partners), LNG terminal operators and bunkering service providers (Gulf LNG Tugs of Port Arthur JV, Seaside LNG/Polaris New Energy), and the U.S. Government defense market (U.S. Navy Navajo-class T-ATS modules via an Austal USA strategic partnership). The yard currently employs 400+ people with planned expansion to ~600 tied to a new $60 million, 150,000 sq. ft. defense shipbuilding facility, and operates under Jones Act domestic-build requirements that shield it from foreign competition. Recent contract cadence — an 8-vessel Maritime Partners series, multi-vessel Rapport 2800/3000 programs, and Navy module fabrication — indicates sustained throughput into 2026 and beyond.

Name

Master Boat Builders

Legal name

Master Boat Builders, Inc.

Website

https://masterboat.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Master Boat Builders is a family-owned Alabama shipyard (founded 1979) that designs and constructs custom tugboats, Advanced Rotor Tugs, hybrid and all-electric harbor tugs, and ATB vessels for U.S. maritime operators, LNG terminal service providers, and the U.S. Navy, delivering approximately one new vessel every one to two weeks across its active 2026 backlog.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bayou La Batre

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Vessel Construction: Master Boat Builders generates revenue through building custom workboats, tugboats, and naval vessels to customer specifications. Revenue is earned on a per-vessel basis through negotiated contracts. The company builds vessels across various sizes and complexity levels, from utility boats to advanced hybrid and electric tugs. Government defense contracts provide additional revenue streams.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Master Boat Builders is a custom shipbuilder that designs and constructs workboats — primarily tugboats and harbor assist vessels — for maritime operators, LNG terminal companies, and U.S. government defense programs. The company builds vessels to customer specifications using Robert Allan Ltd. designs, integrating hybrid and all-electric propulsion systems. It also fabricates hull modules for the U.S. Navy's Navajo-class T-ATS program through a partnership with Austal USA. Each vessel is sold as a one-off, negotiated contract with pricing based on specifications and complexity.

Product overview

Master Boat Builders is a family-owned Alabama shipyard (founded 1979) that constructs custom workboats, primarily tugboats and harbor assist vessels. The product portfolio centers on Robert Allan Ltd. designed RApport series tugboats (2600, 2700, 2800, 3000-H), Advanced Rotor Tugs, and all-electric/hybrid electric tugs. Over 40 years, the company has built approximately 450 vessels including shrimp boats, oil supply vessels, and now specializes in innovative tugboat solutions including the first all-electric U.S. tugboat (eWolf), hybrid propulsion tugs (Spartan), and ATB tugs for LNG operations. The company also fabricates modules for U.S. Navy programs through partnerships with defense contractors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RApport 2700 Series Tugboats Harbor assist and escort tugboat design by Robert Allan Ltd., notably used for Maritime Partners' eight-vessel series at 88 feet with A1 Escort Tug classification, ABS FFV1 certification, and Low Emissions Vessel designation for ship-assist and LNG export operations.
• RApport 2800 Series Tugboats 92-foot tugboat design by Robert Allan Ltd. with 85+ metric tons bollard pull capacity and ABS Fire Fighting Vessel 1 (FFV1) classification, built for LNG terminal support operations for the Gulf LNG Partnership (Bay-Houston Management, Bay Towing, Moran Towing, and Suderman & Young).
• Rapport 3000-H Hybrid Electric Tugboats Hybrid electric tugboat design by Robert Allan Ltd. featuring Berg Propulsion's most advanced hybrid electric propulsion package with seamless switching between operating modes (main engines only, gensets only, or combination); built for escort tug operations.
• Advanced Rotor Tug (ART) 98-80 High-powered, maneuverable vessel with triple Z-Drive configuration (two units near bow, one at stern); each unit has a propeller inside a protective shroud that can rotate 360 degrees, providing thrust in any direction for ship-assist operations. First built in the U.S. by Master Boat Builders.
• 82-foot All-Electric Tugboat (eWolf-class) First all-electric ship assist harbor tugboat in the United States, generating zero emissions during operations with ABB integrated electrical propulsion system and Corvus Energy battery storage. Operates at Port of San Diego for Crowley.
• 109-foot ATB (Articulated Tug Barge) Tug 109-foot Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) tugboat designed for LNG bunkering operations along the Atlantic Coast, featuring the Beacon Finland JAK ATB coupling system for connecting tug to barge and Caterpillar 3512E EPA Tier 4 engines.
• 86-foot Harbor Assist Tugboat 86-foot harbor assist tugboat with approximately 36-foot beam and over 55 metric tons bollard pull, built for Moran Towing Corporation for coast-to-coast towing, bulk marine transportation, LNG support, and environmental recovery operations; powered by twin Caterpillar 3512E EPA Tier 4 engines with Kongsberg US 205S FP thrusters and Markey Machinery DEPC-48 bow winch.
• Naval Vessel Hull Module Fabrication Custom hull module fabrication services for the U.S. Navy's Navajo-class T-ATS (Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ship) program, performed under a strategic partnership with Austal USA. Modules are built at Master Boat's Coden shipyard in Alabama and transported to Austal USA's Mobile facility for final assembly, supporting serial production of steel and aluminum vessels for Navy and Coast Guard programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 178 tons less nitrogen oxide (NOx), 2.5 tons less diesel particulate matter, and 3,100 metric tons less carbon dioxide (CO2) over 10 years of operation for eWolf electric tug
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Gulf LNG Tugs of Port Arthur LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Joint venture partnership delivering Rapport 2800 tugboats for LNG terminal support. The JV comprises Bay-Houston Management, Bay Towing, Moran Towing Corporation, and Suderman & Young Towing Company, collectively representing over 400 years of experience in ship assist and towage services. Operates at four LNG terminals along the US Gulf Coast.
• Maritime Partners LLCflagshipOthers · 1 March 2026Building an eight-vessel series of 88-foot RApport 2700 tugboats at Master Boat's Coden shipyard. Titan is the second vessel, with Marauder delivered first and six more vessels under contract. The tugs are designed for LNG export operations and ship-assist market, establishing a new standard for performance and efficiency.
• Austal USAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Strategic partnership through memorandum of understanding signed in late 2025. Master Boat fabricates hull modules for the US Navy's Navajo-class T-ATS program at its Coden shipyard, then transports modules to Austal USA's Mobile facility for final assembly. This partnership strengthens the domestic shipbuilding industrial base by distributing production across regional Gulf Coast yards. The partnership validates Master Boat's capability to take on complex Navy defense work.
• CrowleyflagshipOthers · 1 January 2024Built the eWolf, the first all-electric ship assist harbor tugboat in the United States. Collaboration involved Crowley engineering services, ABB propulsion systems, and Master Boat construction. Represents a milestone in maritime sustainability and innovation.
• ABBcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Technology partner for eWolf all-electric tugboat providing innovative integrated electrical propulsion system and battery energy storage technology. The collaboration enabled the first all-electric US tugboat.
• Suderman & Young Towing CompanycoreOthers · 1 July 2022Long-standing relationship building multiple tugboat series for Suderman & Young. Currently building the Rapport 3000 escort tug series including Saturn, with three additional vessels under contract. The partnership spans multiple years of vessel deliveries.
• Berg PropulsioncoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2022Technology provider for hybrid electric propulsion systems in Master Boat tugs. Berg's MTA 628 azimuth thrusters and hybrid control systems are integrated into vessels like the Spartan, providing seamless switching between operating modes and optimized fuel consumption.
• Robert Allan Ltd.coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Naval architect and marine engineering firm that designs Master Boat's tugboats including RApport series (2600, 2700, 2800, 3000), Advanced Rotor Tugs, and custom designs. The partnership provides proprietary vessel designs optimized for ship assist and escort operations.
• SeabulkcoreOthers · 1 January 2021Built multiple vessels for Seabulk including Advanced Rotortugs (Trident, Trinity, Triton, Hermes) and hybrid tugs (Spartan, Polaris). Partnership spans multiple years and vessel generations, demonstrating Master Boat's innovation capability.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Diversified Marine Inc. Portland, Oregon-based shipyard that builds tugboats, barges, and marine vessels for commercial operators on the US West Coast. Comparable US tugboat manufacturing competitor with similar product and customer base.
• Conrad Shipyard: Louisiana-based shipbuilder producing tugboats, patrol boats, and offshore support vessels for commercial and government customers. Directly competes with Master Boat on tugboat construction and US Navy/Coast Guard workboat programs.
• Bollinger Shipyards: Lockport, Louisiana-based family-owned US shipbuilder that builds tugs, patrol boats, and other workboats for the Navy, Coast Guard, and commercial operators. One of the closest direct competitors to Master Boat in the Gulf Coast tugboat and government shipbuilding market.
• Eastern Shipbuilding Group: Florida-based shipyard that builds tugs, patrol boats, and offshore vessels, including major Coast Guard and Army contracts. Direct competitor in the US tugboat and government workboat market, with comparable Jones Act exposure.
• Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors: Louisiana-based shipbuilder producing offshore support vessels, tugs, and specialty marine vessels. Overlaps with Master Boat's historical OSV and modern tugboat construction capabilities in the Gulf Coast market.
• Nichols Brothers Boat Builders: Washington-state shipyard building tugboats, ferries, and patrol vessels. A comparable US tugboat builder with similar Jones Act-protected commercial and government customer mix.

Broad incumbents

• Vigor Industrial: Large US shipyard group operating across the West Coast and Alaska building ferries, tugs, fishing vessels, and government ships. Broader incumbent competitor with overlapping tug and government shipbuilding capabilities across multiple geographies.
• Austal USA: Mobile, Alabama-based shipbuilder and Master Boat's T-ATS partner. A broader incumbent in US Navy and commercial high-speed vessel construction; both collaborator and potential competitor for Gulf Coast Navy work.

Others

• Harley Marine Services: West Coast tug and barge operator that is a downstream customer for US tugboat builders. Not a direct shipbuilder competitor but represents the typical end-market customer profile Master Boat's tug programs serve.

Emerging players

• Robert Allan Ltd. Canadian naval architecture firm that designs the RApport and Advanced Rotor Tug series that Master Boat builds. Strategic design partner with deep influence over Master Boat's product line and limited overlap as a builder (design-only).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/216377815572806
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/master-boat-builders-inc.

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Master Boat Builders