What Biehl does

Biehl & Co. is a privately held, family-owned maritime ship agency founded in 1905 in Galveston, Texas, and now headquartered in Houston. The company provides vessel call management and port agency services — including husbandry, customs and documentation (ACE/AES filings, ISPS), crew changes, bunker coordination, and provisions — to vessel owners, operators, charterers, ship managers, and commodity traders handling tankers, dry bulk, break bulk, and RoRo tonnage. Services are delivered through a network of 16 company-owned offices spanning the U.S. Gulf and East Coast, organized around the recently launched ProactivePort Service framework and a dedicated Husbandry Division.

Revenue is generated primarily through agency fees on a per-vessel-call basis, supplemented by reimbursable pass-through expenses and additional fees for unexpected events (casualties, repairs, government penalties, delays). The company also retains vendor discounts when principals fail to advance sufficient funds, an explicit revenue mechanic in its terms. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customer acquisition is direct and relationship-driven, leveraging industry affiliations (ASBA, FONASBA, BIMCO, INTERTANKO), 120 years of operating history, and family-led continuity across four generations.

Biehl holds registered trademarks on its name, design mark, and ProactivePort Service, and its teams are Quality Certified under ASBA and FONASBA standards. Technology is described as "integrated maritime technology" but no proprietary AI/ML platforms, software architecture, or data assets are publicly disclosed; the operating model is primarily local-expertise-driven rather than technology-differentiated. The company is wholly family-owned with no parent, no external investors, no funding rounds, and no public listing.

Name

Biehl

Legal name

Biehl & Co.

Website

https://biehlco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Biehl & Co. is a family-owned maritime ship agency founded in 1905 providing vessel call management, port agency, and husbandry services to vessel owners, operators, charterers, ship managers, and commodity traders across 16 company-owned offices on the U.S. Gulf and East Coast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Agency Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (488390)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Port Call Clearance & Documentation (Arrival/Departure, Customs/Immigration/Health) (TLAHAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Provisions, Stores & Bonded Supplies Coordination (TLAHAJAC), Spare Parts, Ship Chandlery & Logistics to Vessel (TLAHAJAF)

Keywords

• Maritime agency services
• Ship agency services
• Vessel call management
• Port agency services
• Maritime husbandry services

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Port Agency Fees: Biehl generates revenue through agency fees for vessel call management services. The company receives an agreed fee for customary and expected services provided to vessels. Additional fees are charged for unexpected occurrences creating additional work or delay, including major repairs, casualties, classification surveys, general average, cargo claims, litigation, government penalties, immigration matters, and vessel holds/delays. The company also retains vendor discounts when principals fail to advance sufficient funds to cover vendor invoices.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Biehl & Co. is a U.S. maritime ship agency providing vessel call management and port agency services to vessel owners, operators, charterers, ship managers, and commodity traders. Through its ProactivePort Service™ framework, the company coordinates crew changes, provisions, customs clearance, documentation, bunker sampling, and launch services across 16 company-owned offices along the U.S. Gulf and East Coast. The offering includes a dedicated Husbandry Division and customer-segmented service lines for charterers, commodity traders, operators, ship owners, and ship managers.

Product overview

Biehl & Co. offers a comprehensive maritime services portfolio built around its core ProactivePort Service™ framework—a proactive shipping agency system for vessel call management. The company recently launched a dedicated Husbandry Division to support ship owners and managers with crew management, provisions, bunker coordination, and customs services. Services are segmented by customer type: Charterers Services, Commodity Traders Services, Operators Services, Ship Owners Services, and Ship Managers Services, all supported by a network of 16 company-owned offices across the U.S. Gulf and East Coast.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ProactivePort Service™: Modern shipping agency framework built to elevate vessel call management through local expertise, disciplined port operations, and integrated maritime technology.

Products and services

• ProactivePort Service™ Core Biehl shipping agency framework for proactive vessel call management that combines local expertise, disciplined port operations, and integrated maritime technology to coordinate crew changes, provisions, customs clearance, documentation, bunker sampling, and port logistics for vessel owners, operators, charterers, ship managers, and commodity traders.
• Husbandry Division Dedicated Biehl division providing crew management, provisions and supplies, bunker sample collection and dispatch, and customs and documentation services for ship owners and ship management companies.
• Charterers Services Port agency offering for charterers providing detailed port and terminal information, precise port cost estimates, and seamless documentation management to maximize efficiency across every stage of charter operations.
• Operators Services Port agency services for vessel operators providing precise port cost estimates, detailed port and terminal insights, seamless documentation management, and intelligence on commodity trends and competitor data to streamline operations.
• Ship Owners Services Port agency offering for ship owners providing crew management, spare parts handling, supply coordination, port cost estimates, terminal information, and documentation services to protect asset value and optimize operations.
• Ship Managers Services Port agency support for ship management companies covering crew transportation and accommodations, medical services, ship spare parts management, logistics coordination, bunker sampling, and real-time communication.
• Commodity Traders Services Port logistics and market insight offering for commodity traders covering cargo handling, customs clearance, documentation, and market trend analysis with competitor data.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• ASBA (Association of Ship Brokers and Agents)coreOthersASBA membership provides Biehl with industry-standard certification and global standards recognition. Biehl's teams are Quality Certified by ASBA standards, and the company's standing with ASBA offers customers peace of mind backed by global standards.
• FONASBA (Federation of National Associations of Ship Brokers and Agents)coreOthersFONASBA membership reinforces Biehl's commitment to best practices and exceptional service. Biehl's teams are Quality Certified by FONASBA standards, and FONASBA provides a framework for quality assurance in maritime broker and agent services.
• BIMCO (Baltic and International Maritime Council)strategicOthersBIMCO membership provides Biehl with access to global maritime standards, contracts, and industry intelligence. As one of the largest international maritime associations, BIMCO supports Biehl's ability to serve global and local maritime communities.
• INTERTANKO (International Association of Independent Tanker Owners)strategicOthersINTERTANKO membership supports Biehl's tanker operations and provides access to tanker-specific industry standards, best practices, and networking opportunities with independent tanker owners.
• Local Maritime AssociationsminorOthersParticipation in local maritime associations across the Gulf and East Coast reinforces Biehl's commitment to best practices and exceptional service in every port, providing local community connections and regional industry relationships.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wilhelmsen Ship Management (Wilhelmsen Port Services): Wilhelmsen's Port Services division provides ship agency, husbandry, and vessel support across a global network. Comparable to Biehl in offering port call coordination and crew services, with broader geographic reach and parent-company advantages.
• GAC (Gulf Agency Company): GAC is the world's largest independent ship agency group, providing vessel agency, husbandry, and port call services globally with operations across all major maritime hubs. Directly comparable to Biehl in core service offering, with significantly larger international footprint.
• Norton Lilly International: Norton Lilly is one of the largest U.S. ship agencies with deep roots in Gulf and East Coast ports, providing vessel agency, husbandry, and protective agency services. Closest direct competitor to Biehl in U.S. market focus and service portfolio.
• Andrew Weir Shipping: Andrew Weir Shipping is a long-established ship agency and maritime services firm with operations in key global ports. Comparable to Biehl in providing traditional vessel agency and husbandry services, with similar family-business heritage and relationship-driven model.
• V.A. Sanders: V.A. Sanders is a U.S. ship agency and port services company serving Gulf and other key U.S. ports. Direct competitor to Biehl in vessel agency, husbandry, and documentation services for similar customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Inchcape Shipping Services: Inchcape is a major global ship agency and maritime services provider with extensive port call, husbandry, and logistics capabilities. Comparable to Biehl in core ship agency services but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic scope.
• CMA CGM Shipping Agencies: CMA CGM operates ship agency services globally as part of its integrated container shipping and logistics business. Comparable to Biehl in offering port agency and husbandry services but supported by massive parent-company vessel operations.
• Maersk Agency: Maersk's agency division provides ship agency and port call services globally as part of the integrated Maersk logistics platform. Comparable to Biehl in core service but with vastly larger scale, technology investments, and captive demand from Maersk's own vessel fleet.

Regional players

• Barwill Agencies: Barwill is a Texas-headquartered ship agency with strong Gulf Coast presence, providing vessel agency and husbandry services. Comparable to Biehl in regional focus and core service offering but with more limited geographic spread.

Emerging players

• Peters & May: Peters & May is a maritime services company offering yacht and commercial vessel logistics, agency, and forwarding services. Comparable to Biehl in providing ship agency and husbandry services, with a more specialized focus on yacht and small commercial vessel segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Biehl