V.Group

What V.Group does

V.Group is a London-headquartered, independent provider of ship management and marine services to the global commercial shipping, cruise, offshore energy, and defence industries. Founded in 1984 and operating under the legal entity Vouvray Acquisition Limited, the company manages over 3,000 vessels across 60 offices in 30 countries, supporting a deployed workforce of 44,000+ seafarers across 89 nationalities. It is structured as a multi-brand platform comprising V.Ships (technical ship management), V.Services (crew management, technical services, supply chain, insurance), SeaTec (technical services, BWTS installations, underwater hull cleaning), Oceanic Catering (marine hospitality), Marlins (maritime training and e-learning), V.Ships Leisure (cruise and yacht management), and Njord (acquired fuel efficiency and decarbonisation). The company owns a proprietary Digital Platform for fleet performance monitoring and operates a centralised Fleet Cells model providing coordinated operational support.

V.Group generates revenue through managed-services contracts on a per-vessel basis, with pricing typically quote-based and tailored to fleet size, vessel type, and scope. Revenue streams include technical ship management, crew management, marine services (SeaTec, insurance, supply chain, catering, training), and environmental solutions (EEXI assessments, BWTS installations, hull cleaning, propeller polishing). The go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting ship owners, cruise lines, and offshore operators globally, with relationship-driven long-term contracts (e.g., 5-year Marella Cruises contract, OSG relationship since 2014). Named customers include MOL, International Seaways, OSG, Shell, SBM Offshore, Laskaridis Maritime, Silk Searoad Maritime, Marella Cruises, Orient Express, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, and REV Ocean.

Following the September 2024 completion of its acquisition by a STAR Capital consortium, V.Group entered a new phase of platform-driven growth. Subsequent strategic moves include the acquisition of Njord (January 2026), MOL's 25% stake in V.Ships France with two newbuild LNG carrier mandates (March 2026), a $150 million Suez Canal Authority ship waste management contract, geographic expansion in the Middle East (Oman) and India (Chennai), and a partnership with the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping alongside a dedicated Sustainability & Decarbonisation function. The company maintains ISO 9001:2008 certification across its technical services subsidiaries and is a member of the Getting to Zero Coalition and the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network.

Name

V.Group

Legal name

Vouvray Acquisition Limited

Website

https://vgrouplimited.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

V.Group is a London-based independent ship management and marine services provider managing 3,000+ vessels across 60 offices in 30 countries, serving commercial shipping, cruise, offshore energy, and defence clients with crew, technical, and decarbonisation services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Ship Management Services

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (33661), Boat Building (336612)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Propulsion MRO, Spares & Field Service (Overhauls, retrofits, upgrades) (IMAJAHAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine MRO Parts & Consumables Distribution (TLAKAOAJ), Accommodation & Interior Outfit (Cabins, Galleys, Sanitary, Furniture) (IMAJAIAF)

Keywords

• Ship management services
• Crew management
• Maritime technical services
• Marine supply chain
• Offshore vessel management

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Technical Ship Management: Full technical management services for vessel owners including maintenance, repairs, dry dock management, and regulatory compliance across all vessel types
2. Crew Management: Recruitment, deployment, and management of professional seafarers for vessel operations
3. Marine Services: Technical services (SeaTec), insurance, supply chain, catering services through Oceanic Catering, and marine training
4. Environmental Solutions: EEXI assessments, BWTS installations, underwater hull cleaning, propeller polishing, and condition monitoring services

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

V.Group provides outsourced ship management, crew management and recruitment, technical and maintenance services, marine supply chain and procurement, marine insurance, maritime training, catering and decarbonisation advisory to ship owners, operators, offshore energy companies, cruise lines and yacht operators worldwide. It runs dedicated brand-vertical subsidiaries including V.Ships (core ship management), V.Ships Leisure (cruise), V.Yachts (yacht), SeaTec (technical), Oceanic Catering, UMC (underwater services) and Njord (decarbonisation).

Product overview

V.Group is a global ship management and marine services provider offering an integrated portfolio of services through its sub-brands. The core ship management business (V.SHIPS) covers technical management of tankers, bulk carriers, container vessels, LNG carriers, offshore vessels, and leisure yachts. Marine services (V.SERVICES) include crew management and deployment, technical services, supply chain, and insurance. Supporting divisions include SeaTec (technical assessments, BWTS, underwater services), Oceanic (catering and water solutions), Marlins (training and elearning), and Njord (fuel efficiency and decarbonisation). The company operates a proprietary Digital Platform for fleet performance monitoring and data analytics. With 60 offices across 30 countries, V.Group manages over 3,000 vessels and supports approximately 44,000 seafarers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• V.Ships Leisure: Cruise and leisure ship management division providing vessel management services for various cruise lines and yachts.
• SeaTec
• Oceanic Catering
• Marlins
• UMC
• Vouvray Acquisition Limited

Products and services

• Ship Management (V.Ships)
• Crew Management and Manning
• SeaTec Technical Services
• Marine Supply Chain Services
• V.Insurance Marine Insurance Brokerage
• Marlins Maritime Training and e-Learning
• UMC Underwater Services
• V.Ships Leisure Cruise Management
• V.Yachts Superyacht Management Management and operational services for large yachts, including technical, crewing and compliance support.
• Oceanic Catering Onboard Catering Onboard catering, provisions and hotel service delivery for managed vessels and third-party ship owners.
• Njord Decarbonisation Advisory Decarbonisation consulting, alternative-fuel transition planning and emissions accounting services for ship owners and offshore operators facing IMO 2030/2050 targets.
• V.Group Digital Platform Unified digital platform providing vessel data, crew management, procurement and client reporting workflows for managed vessel operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10% reduction in fuel and CO2 emissions through hull cleaning
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Laskaridis MaritimemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026Ship management agreement for full technical management of LR2 tanker Lucknam, newest addition to Laskaridis fleet.
• Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026Strategic partnership with MOL involving 25% stake acquisition in V.Ships France (MOL retaining 75% ownership). V.Ships France assumes full technical management of two newbuild LNG carriers for MOL, expanding LNG fleet management capabilities.
• Suez Canal AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 March 2026$150 million ship waste management project contracted by Suez Canal Authority, governed by shareholders' agreement between the Authority and Greece-based V Group. Pilot case study planned for Ras Mohammed Nature Reserve.
• Silk Searoad MaritimemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2026New partnership with Greek shipowner for technical management of bulk and tanker fleet.
• NjordcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 January 2026Acquisition of Njord, maritime fuel efficiency and decarbonisation partner founded by Maersk Tankers.
• Marella CruisescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2025Five-year ship management contract awarded to V.Ships Leisure for cruise ship management services.
• International SeawayscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 May 2025Launch of female cadet programme designed to enable gender diversity at sea and tackle growing skills shortage. V. also secured full management contract for six dual-fuel LNG-ready newbuild tankers.
• Orient ExpressmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2025Partnership for excellence, sustainability, and luxury experience where V.Ships Leisure will manage new Orient Express sailing yachts.
• REV OceanmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2025V.Ships Norway appointed as ship management partner for world's largest research and expedition vessel.
• Erasmus Shipinvest GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2024Strategic partnership with international shipping group for ship management services.
• KBR and Frazer-NashmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2024Combined expertise to strengthen UK naval capability through eight-year Type 31 Through Life Support Contract expected to commence Q4 2025.
• AitherminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2023Partnership to provide carbon trading solutions for shipowners.
• BelshipscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2023Strategic partnership related to Belships' fleet and ship management business, with Belships Management (Singapore) providing technical management.
• ShipMoneyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 October 2022Strategic partnership to digitalise seafarers' payroll system, ensuring more secure and efficient payment methods.
• Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon ShippingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 November 2021Strategic partnership to help shipping industry transition to net-zero future. V.Group supports customers in using transition fuels including green ammonia and hydrogen, with marine specialists providing insights on operational practicality. New dedicated Sustainability & Decarbonisation function established.
• Getting to Zero CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 November 2021V.Group is a proud member of coalition of 90+ companies committed to getting commercially viable deep-sea zero emission vessels powered by zero emission fuels into operation by 2030.
• IMPA SAVEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 January 2021V.Group and Oceanic Catering joined IMPA SAVE Council for Maritime Supply Chain Sustainability, focusing on carbon reduction, environmental protection, and reducing consumption of resources. First milestone: reducing plastic drinking water bottles from world's fleet by 2025.
• Sailors' SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2020Partnership to produce guide highlighting positive role Masters can play in ensuring crew wellbeing, addressing mental health and seafarer support.
• Mission to SeafarersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020V.Group donated to Mission to Seafarers' 'Flying Angel' fundraising campaign supporting seafarer welfare globally.
• OceaniccoreTechnology or IntegrationWater solutions provider for single-use plastic reduction, with 400+ vessels enrolled in water solutions initiative and 8+ million plastic bottles eliminated.

Scale indicators21 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Anglo-Eastern (Univan Ship Management): One of the world's largest independent ship management groups managing ~650 vessels with a similar full-service model (technical management, crew, training) and a comparable global office network — V.Group's closest head-to-head competitor.
• Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM): Major German-headquartered third-party ship manager offering technical management, crew management, and maritime services across tankers, bulkers, containers and offshore — directly comparable to V.Group's portfolio.
• Wilhelmsen Ship Management: Norwegian ship management division of Wilhelmsen group, providing technical management and crewing for a global commercial fleet — overlapping customer base and service model with V.Group.
• Thome Group: Singapore-headquartered independent ship manager offering full-spectrum technical management and crew management worldwide — directly competes with V.Group in Asia-Pacific and globally.
• Synergy Group: Singapore-based ship management and maritime services company managing 600+ vessels across tankers, bulkers, and offshore — directly comparable in scale and service scope to V.Group.
• Columbia Shipmanagement: Cyprus-based independent ship manager offering technical management, crew management, and offshore services — similar geographic footprint and customer mix to V.Group's European-Mediterranean operations.
• OSM Maritime Group: Norwegian-headquartered ship management group operating across tankers, offshore, and cruise segments — competes directly with V.Group, particularly in offshore and Northern European markets.
• FLEET Management Limited: Hong Kong-based independent ship manager managing 400+ vessels globally with technical and crew management services — directly comparable Asian competitor to V.Group.

Broad incumbents

• Stena Bulk / Stena Line: Larger Swedish maritime conglomerate owning and operating tankers, ferries and offshore vessels with in-house ship management capabilities — overlaps V.Group's tanker/offshore management offerings but is principally an owner/operator.

Emerging players

• Wärtsilä (Marine Services & Lifecycle Solutions): Marine technology and services provider offering maintenance, retrofit, decarbonisation, and lifecycle services — overlaps with V.Group's SeaTec environmental solutions and propulsion MRO scope rather than full ship management.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/v_groupltd
• Facebookfacebook.com/vgroupmaritime
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/v-ships
• Instagraminstagram.com/vgroupmaritime

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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

M&A3 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about V.Group