Eastern Marine Services

What Eastern Marine Services does

Eastern Marine Services is a private, ADCI-certified marine contractor headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, that delivers underwater inspection, heavy marine construction, commercial diving, and ship husbandry services across the Mid-Atlantic region. Its core offerings span marine construction (pile driving, pile jacketing with FRP systems, bulkhead repair, bridge rehabilitation, pier demolition), commercial diving (underwater welding, underwater burning, hazmat diving, 24/7 emergency response), underwater video inspections with NDT-grade ultrasonic thickness readings, and ship husbandry including propeller polishing to Rubert Grade A specifications. The company also operates adjacent service lines such as boat detailing, captain services, insurance investigations, swimming pool leak detection, aquarium cleaning, and propeller changes.

The company's underlying technology is built around certified commercial dive teams operating self-sustained dive barges, supported by specialized equipment inventories including FRP jacketing systems with high-strength epoxy grout, hydraulic propeller polishing systems, Broco exothermic cutting rods, lift bags, and HD subsurface imaging tools. All divers are ADCI-certified and the company maintains compliance with USCG, DoD, and OSHA standards, along with credentials including MCLB 295(E), MHIC #161023, CAGE Code 7GUT9, DUNS 835187894, and SB Reserve SB12-35978, which are prerequisites for federal and state marine contracting.

Eastern Marine Services generates revenue primarily through project-based professional services contracts with federal, state, and municipal agencies (US Army Corps of Engineers, US Coast Guard, MD State Highway Admin, MD Port Authority, DelDOT) and commercial/enterprise clients (Northrop Grumman, CSX Transportation, Under Armour, prime contractors such as J.D. Eckman, JJID, and Mumford & Miller). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is sales-led, combining a downloadable Capabilities Statement for government procurement, a 24/7 emergency dispatch line, and direct outreach for recreational and small commercial vessel maintenance, with no active digital marketing or e-commerce channels. The firm is privately held by founders Philip DePalo and David Howells, with no disclosed outside funding.

Name

Eastern Marine Services

Legal name

Eastern Marine Services, Inc.

Website

https://easternmarineservices.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Eastern Marine Services is a private, ADCI-certified marine contractor in Baltimore, Maryland that delivers underwater inspection, heavy marine construction, commercial diving, and ship husbandry services to federal, state, municipal, and commercial clients across the Mid-Atlantic region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Construction and Commercial Diving Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600)

akta.pro primary industry

Underwater Inspection, Maintenance & Repair (UWILD, Diving/ROV, In-water Cleaning) (IMAJAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Underwater Hull Services (Diving, In-Water Cleaning, Propeller Polishing, Inspection) (TLAHAMAL), Marine Service Provider Coordination (Diving, Inspection, Class/Survey Support) (TLAHAJAI), Port Rehabilitation, Maintenance & Asset Renewal (Repairs, Strengthening) (IMAFAJAL), Heavy Lift & Marine Recovery (Cranes, Lift Barges, Rigging) (IMAJANAC)

Keywords

• Commercial diving services
• Marine construction
• Underwater inspections
• Ship husbandry
• Salvage recovery

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Marine Construction Services: Heavy marine construction including pile driving, bulkhead repair, pier demolition and reconstruction, and structural restoration using FRP jacketing. Revenue generated through project-based contracts with government agencies, municipalities, and private sector clients.
2. Commercial Diving Services: ADCI-certified diving operations including underwater welding, hazmat diving, inspections, and salvage operations. Billed as professional services with 24/7 emergency response capabilities.
3. Hull Maintenance Services: Hull cleaning, propeller service, zinc/anode replacement, and underwater inspections for recreational and commercial vessels. Customized maintenance plans offered on monthly, bi-monthly, or one-time basis.
4. Boat Detailing Services: Topsides boat care including washing, waxing, canvas cleaning, metal polishing, and interior/carpet cleaning. Available as one-time services or seasonal contracts for fleet accounts.
5. Insurance Investigation Services: Underwater inspections and investigations for insurance companies and private parties with legal matters. Professional third-party assessments for maritime claims.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Eastern Marine Services is a marine contractor providing commercial diving, heavy marine construction, underwater inspections, and ship husbandry services across the Mid-Atlantic region. ADCI-certified dive teams deliver pile driving, bulkhead repair, structural restoration, FRP pile jacketing, propeller polishing, hull cleaning, and 24/7 emergency salvage and recovery for federal, state, municipal, commercial, and individual boat owner clients.

Product overview

Eastern Marine Services is a premier marine contractor offering a unified suite of commercial diving and heavy marine construction services. The core offerings include Marine Construction (structural repairs, pile driving, bridge rehabilitation, underwater welding), Commercial Diving Services (ADCI-certified teams for underwater operations), Underwater Video Inspections (three-tier inspection levels including NDT), and Salvage & Recovery (24/7 emergency response). Supporting services include Ship Husbandry & Prop Polishing, Hull Cleaning & Maintenance, Pile Jacketing & Wrapping (both commercial FRP and residential PVC), Boat Detailing, Captain Service, Insurance Investigations, Swimming Pool Maintenance, Aquarium Cleaning, Propeller Changes, and Commercial Marine Infrastructure. The company operates exclusively with ADCI-certified professionals maintaining compliance with US Coast Guard, Department of Defense, and OSHA safety standards, serving Federal, State, Municipal, and Private Sector clients across the Mid-Atlantic region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marine Construction Structural repairs and heavy marine infrastructure solutions including pile driving, pile jackets, bridge rehabilitation, underwater welding, bulkhead repair, pier demolition, and AccuDock floating dock systems for federal, state, municipal, and private sector clients.
• Commercial Diving Services ADCI-certified commercial dive teams providing underwater burning and welding, hazmat diving, salvage operations, and 24/7 emergency response for complex marine environments.
• Underwater Video Inspections High-definition subsurface imaging and diagnostic reporting with three inspection levels: general visual overview, close-up visual inspection, and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) using ultrasonic thickness readings; HD video and written report deliverables.
• Salvage & Recovery 24/7 emergency response for vessel salvage, search and recovery operations including evidence recovery for law enforcement, valuables, and equipment from Chesapeake Bay and surrounding waters.
• Ship Husbandry & Prop Polishing Comprehensive hull maintenance and underwater support for deep-draft vessels including propeller polishing to Rubert compliance grades and at-berth or at-anchorage dive barge operations.
• Hull Cleaning & Maintenance Professional underwater hull cleaning, zinc/anode replacement, propeller service, and inspections for recreational and commercial vessels with customized monthly, bi-monthly, or one-time maintenance plans.
• Pile Jacketing & Wrapping Structural restoration and life extension for timber, steel, and concrete piles including commercial FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) jacketing with epoxy grout and residential PVC pile wrapping to prevent marine borer damage.
• Commercial Marine Infrastructure Industrial bulkheads, seawalls, and heavy earth retention systems including steel sheet piling installation, industrial seawall repair, anchor systems, drainage solutions, and sub-surface stabilization.
• Boat Detailing Topside boat care including washing, waxing, canvas cleaning, metal polishing, and interior/carpet cleaning using 3M Marine Wax and related products, available as one-time services or seasonal contracts for fleet accounts.
• Captain Service Licensed USCG Captain services for vessel movement, training, guidance, and towing endorsements for recreational boaters.
• Insurance Investigations Professional underwater inspections and investigations for suspicious maritime insurance claims and private parties with legal matters involving bodies of water.
• Swimming Pool Maintenance Leak detection and patching services for concrete or vinyl-lined swimming pools, serving swimming pool companies and private parties in the Mid-Atlantic region.
• Aquarium Cleaning Professional aquarium maintenance services for large aquariums with staff experienced in maintaining delicate aquatic life habitats.
• Propeller Changes In-water propeller changes using lift bags and tools, with full-service prop shop capabilities including tuning, welding, speed coating, and transportation with typical 2-week turnaround.

Quantifiable outcome

• Propeller fouling can increase fuel consumption by up to 12%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AccuDock SystemsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized in installation and maintenance of AccuDock floating dock systems. Eastern Marine Services provides expert positioning, anchoring, and assembly for residential and commercial floating dock applications under this partnership.
• J.D. EckmancoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrime contractor partner for major infrastructure projects including the I-95 Rehabilitation. Eastern Marine Services provided substructure rehabilitation including spalling concrete removal, reinforcement, and custom jacket installation with high-strength epoxy grout.
• JJID, Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrime contractor partner for US-301 Over Chester River bridge project. Collaboration involved removal of existing bridge support piles below mudline with dredging, jetting, underwater burning, welding, and hydraulic hammering.
• Mumford & MillercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrime contractor partner for 7th Street Boat Ramp project. Eastern Marine Services performed sheet pile cofferdam removal using Broco exothermic cutting rods with crane assistance and underwater welding for ground clamp mechanisms.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Underwater Construction Corporation (UCC): Commercial diving and marine construction firm focused on port, harbor, and bridge infrastructure. Closely comparable service mix and federal contract experience to EMS.
• Triton Diving Services: Commercial diving and marine services firm serving Gulf Coast and broader US markets. Comparable diving operations and underwater inspection capabilities to EMS.
• Ballard Marine Construction: Heavy marine construction and commercial diving firm specializing in underwater construction, inspection, and rehabilitation for infrastructure and energy clients. Comparable scope and customer profile to EMS, but with larger geographic footprint.
• J.F. Brennan Company: Marine construction and commercial diving firm with strong presence in bridge, dam, and waterfront infrastructure projects. Comparable underwater construction capabilities and federal/state contract experience to EMS.
• Cross Marine Projects: Marine construction and diving contractor specializing in bridge, pier, and waterfront infrastructure. Comparable federal/state DOT work and pile rehabilitation capabilities to EMS.
• Global Diving & Salvage, Inc. Full-service commercial diving, marine construction, and salvage contractor with multi-region US operations. Closest comparable to EMS in service breadth (diving, construction, salvage, inspections) and customer mix (government, commercial, recreational).
• Marine Solutions, Inc. Specializes in underwater bridge inspection, repair, and marine infrastructure services for DOTs and government agencies. Directly comparable in core diving, NDT inspection, and bridge rehabilitation scope.

Broad incumbents

• Mears Group, Inc. Large-scale infrastructure contractor providing marine, pipeline, and HDD construction services. Overlaps with EMS in marine construction but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic scope.
• Orion Marine Group: Public marine construction firm providing heavy marine, port, and dredging services across the US. Overlaps with EMS in heavy marine construction but at substantially larger scale and broader portfolio.

Regional players

• Sea Divers Inc. Mid-Atlantic-based commercial diving and marine services firm. Directly comparable in diving and inspection capabilities but primarily serves a different regional footprint than EMS.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/easternmarinesv
• Facebookfacebook.com/easternmarineservices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eastern-marine-services-llc

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Eastern Marine Services