Ocean Ecology

What Ocean Ecology does

Ocean Ecology is a UK-based marine environmental services company founded in 2012, providing ecological surveys, laboratory analysis, and consultancy to clients operating in the blue economy. The company serves offshore wind developers (Ørsted, RWE, Northland Power, Ocean Winds), oil and gas operators (Perenco), aquaculture companies (MOWI, Bakkafrost, Scottish Sea Farms), and government bodies (Natural England, Cefas, NatureScot), with over 50 named enterprise clients across at least nine marine sectors. Core service lines include environmental baseline surveys, habitat assessments, site characterisation, pre- and post-construction monitoring, marine mammal mitigation, aquaculture compliance, fish health and welfare, laboratory analysis (macrobenthic, sediment, eDNA, seabed imagery), and consultancy.

The company's technical platform combines in-house NMBAQC-participating laboratories at Gloucester and Oban with proprietary technology including the peer-reviewed CLOC freshwater lens camera system (validated with Swansea University), Tritonia Scientific's georeferenced 3D photogrammetry (G3DP), semi-automated seabed mapping using machine learning models (Random Forest, XGBoost, deep learning), and three data platforms (ABACUS, Marine Recorder Online, OceanConnect). The company operates from five UK offices (Gloucester, Oban, two Plymouth, Dorchester) and launched APAC operations from Perth, Australia in April 2025.

Ocean Ecology operates within the DNV Group following the 2022 acquisition of parent Åkerblå Group. Revenue is generated primarily through project-based professional services contracts secured via competitive tendering for large infrastructure projects and ongoing compliance engagements with aquaculture operators. Three acquisitions have been completed within three years (Ecospan Environmental 2022, Tritonia Scientific 2023, Shoreline Surveys 2025), each adding adjacent technical capabilities. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the 11-50 employee headcount and project scale (including 1.4 GW Sofia and 900 MW Spiorad na Mara offshore wind engagements) are consistent with a specialist consultancy in the low tens of millions of dollars annual revenue range.

Name

Ocean Ecology

Legal name

Ocean Ecology

Website

https://ocean-ecology.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ocean Ecology is a UK-based marine environmental services firm delivering ecological surveys, laboratory analysis, and consultancy to offshore wind, oil and gas, aquaculture, and government clients across UK and APAC markets, operating within the DNV Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Environmental Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquatic Ecology & Fisheries Assessments (EUAHAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Marine environmental surveys
• Benthic habitat assessments
• Aquaculture compliance monitoring
• Offshore wind environmental consultancy
• Marine laboratory analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Gloucester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Environmental Survey Services: Professional services revenue from conducting marine environmental surveys including benthic characterization, habitat assessments, environmental baseline surveys, and site characterisation. Project-based contracts with energy companies, aquaculture operators, and government bodies. Services delivered using company-owned vessels, equipment, and personnel.
2. Laboratory Analysis Services: In-house laboratory services including macrobenthic analysis, sediment analysis (particle size distribution), eDNA analysis, and contaminant analysis. NMBAQC-participating laboratories processing samples to national and international standards.
3. Consultancy and Advisory Services: Technical consultancy including survey design, sampling plans, habitat mapping, predictive habitat modelling, technical reporting, and regulatory compliance advisory. Expert analysis and recommendations for environmental impact assessments.
4. Data Solutions: Data management platforms (ABACUS, Marine Recorder Online, OceanConnect) providing ongoing data solutions, portal access, and sub-contractor management capabilities. May include subscription or licensing components for platform access.
5. Fish Health & Welfare Services: Specialist aquaculture fish health services including site visits, welfare assessments, biosecurity assessments, VAHA assessments, wellboat inspections, and Ocean Academy training. Services for salmon farming compliance and preventative health management.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ocean Ecology delivers marine environmental surveys, in-house laboratory analysis (macrobenthic, sediment, eDNA, seabed imagery), and technical consultancy for clients operating in the blue economy. Services support environmental impact assessments, habitat mapping, regulatory compliance, and ongoing monitoring for offshore wind, oil and gas decommissioning, aquaculture, subsea cables, and government/regulatory bodies across the UK and internationally.

Product overview

Ocean Ecology is a marine environmental services company offering a comprehensive suite of ecological survey, laboratory, and consultancy services. The portfolio centers on Environmental Baseline Surveys, Habitat Assessments, Site Characterisation, Monitoring & Compliance, Fish Health & Welfare, and Laboratory Services (macrobenthic, sediment, eDNA, seabed imagery). Data solutions are delivered through three platforms: ABACUS (aquaculture compliance), Marine Recorder Online (marine data management), and OceanConnect (sub-contractor/portal management). The company operates through its parent brand plus two acquired subsidiaries: Tritonia Scientific (advanced G3DP and ROV/ASV technologies) and Shoreline Surveys (nearshore hydrographic/geophysical surveying). Services span offshore wind, oil & gas decommissioning, aquaculture, subsea cables, and regulatory sectors. Recent expansions include Australia/APAC under DNV.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tritonia Scientific: Innovation focused marine technology company specializing in georeferenced 3D photogrammetry (G3DP) techniques, ROV services, and autonomous species identification for underwater monitoring.
• Shoreline Surveys

Products and services

• Environmental Baseline Surveys (EBS) Comprehensive pre-activity ecological surveys establishing seabed conditions, habitat classifications, and environmental sensitivities for offshore developments and infrastructure projects. Targeted at offshore wind developers, oil & gas operators, and regulatory bodies requiring EIA inputs.
• Habitat Assessments (HAs) Assessment of seabed habitats and species of conservation importance, including Annex I and V habitats, OSPAR features, and Marine Protected Area designations. Delivered for environmental consenting and conservation projects.
• Site Characterisation Detailed characterisation of survey areas including drop-down camera surveys, grab sampling, and water sampling to provide ground-truthing of acoustic data and inform project development for marine infrastructure clients.
• Monitoring and Compliance Pre- and post-construction environmental monitoring, marine mammal mitigation during seismic operations, and regulatory reporting. Covers aquaculture compliance monitoring and supports licensing requirements for offshore wind, oil & gas, and other marine projects.
• Fish Health and Welfare Specialist aquaculture services including site visits, welfare assessments and VHWPs, biosecurity assessments, VAHA assessments, wellboat inspections, and the Ocean Academy training programme. Targeted at salmon farming operators for compliance and preventative health management.
• Laboratory Services In-house NMBAQC-participating laboratory providing macrobenthic analysis, sediment analysis (particle size distribution), seabed imagery analysis, and environmental DNA (eDNA) processing. Operates laboratories at Gloucester and Oban for processing samples to national and international standards.
• ABACUS Data solutions platform supporting aquaculture compliance monitoring and environmental data management. Provides ongoing data solutions for blue economy clients.
• Marine Recorder Online Online platform for marine data recording, management, and reporting, supporting biodiversity data migration and long-term environmental monitoring programmes.
• OceanConnect Data management platform with portal capabilities for sub-contractor management, streamlining survey operations, project coordination, and data workflows for marine survey clients.
• Consultancy Expert advisory services including survey design and sampling plans, habitat mapping, predictive habitat modelling, and technical reporting for regulatory submissions and environmental impact assessments.
• Vessel Charter Charter of company-owned survey vessels for marine environmental survey campaigns, supporting both internal projects and external clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 49% improvement in image clarity with CLOC freshwater lens system
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Shoreline Surveys LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2025Ocean Ecology acquired Shoreline Surveys Ltd on 7 April 2025. Based in Dorset and established in 1998, Shoreline brings decades of experience in nearshore hydrographic and geophysical surveying. They will continue to operate as a separate entity within the Ocean Ecology Group with Emile Foote remaining as Managing Director. Their specialist capabilities complement Ocean Ecology's ecological expertise for integrated habitat mapping solutions in the coastal zone.
• DNVcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Ocean Ecology operates as part of the DNV Group (parent company Åkerblå Group now part of DNV). From April 2025, Ocean Ecology expanded into Australia and APAC region under DNV's Energy Systems division from Perth, Western Australia. DNV's broader strategy includes delivering specialist service lines to existing and emerging clients across energy systems, infrastructure development, and aquaculture sectors.
• Tritonia Scientific LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2023Ocean Ecology completed majority share acquisition of Tritonia Scientific Limited on 27 October 2023. Tritonia is an innovation-focused marine technology company leading in integration of emerging technologies for underwater monitoring. They bring georeferenced 3D photogrammetry (G3DP), ROV/ASV capabilities, and machine learning for autonomous species identification. Operations continue from facilities in Oban at the European Marine Science Park alongside Ocean Ecology's existing teams.
• Ecospan Environmental LimitedminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Ocean Ecology acquired Ecospan Environmental Limited in 2022. Ecospan provides leading hydrographic and oceanographic surveys services combined with specialist consultancy advice in environmental permitting and planning. Their hydrographic survey offering complements Tritonia Scientific's services within the Ocean Ecology Group.
• CefascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOcean Ecology was selected to deliver key elements (Lots 1, 3, 4, and 5) of the Crown Estate-funded POSEIDON benthic sampling project led by Cefas. Conducted comprehensive marine surveys across UK waters including Southern North Sea (375 samples), English Channel (113 stations), Celtic Sea (157 stations), and Southwest Waters (40 stations).
• ABPmer / The Crown EstatecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommissioned by ABPmer to provide environmental support during geophysical survey campaigns for The Crown Estate's Celtic Sea Pre-Consenting Survey programme (2023-2025). Provided marine mammal observers, PAM operators, and seabird observations for floating offshore wind development in the Celtic Sea.
• Northland PowercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSupporting Spiorad na Mara Offshore Wind Farm owned by Northland Power (75.5%) and ESB (24.5%), with Northland leading development. Conducted detailed benthic survey including drop-down camera surveys, grab sampling, and water sampling for site characterisation off the Isle of Lewis.
• RWEcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLong-standing relationship with RWE for Sofia Offshore Wind Farm (1.4 GW on Dogger Bank) and Rampion/Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farms. Provided advisory services, benthic monitoring plans, habitat mapping, and pre-construction surveys.
• FloventiscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSupporting Llŷr Offshore Wind Farm development with benthic characterisation surveys and alternative export cable route surveys for two 100 MW sites in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
• Flotation EnergycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConducted benthic characterisation survey for Morecambe Offshore Wind Farm (expected capacity 480 MW) in the north-eastern Irish Sea. Sampled 50 stations with DDC imagery and laboratory analysis.
• Swansea UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic-industrial collaboration with Swansea University validated the CLOC (Clear Liquid Optical Chamber) freshwater lens camera system. PhD programme research scientifically proved significant improvements in image clarity and ecological outcomes. Research co-funded by SEACAMS2 and KESS scheme, results published in Aquatic Conservation journal.
• The Crown EstatecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFunded the POSEIDON benthic sampling project across UK waters. Ocean Ecology delivered key survey elements spanning Southern North Sea, English Channel, Celtic Sea, and Southwest Waters.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cathie Group: Offshore geoscience and geotechnical consultancy supporting offshore wind and cable projects, with overlapping client base in European offshore wind developers and complementary capability in foundation and cable route engineering.
• ABPmer: UK-based marine environmental consultancy delivering EIA, benthic surveys, marine mammal mitigation and habitat mapping for offshore wind, O&G and aggregate clients. Closest head-to-head peer given overlapping UK customer base (Crown Estate, offshore wind developers) and service portfolio.
• Bibby HydroMap: UK hydrographic and marine survey specialist with similar exposure to offshore wind site characterisation, cable route surveys and nearshore geophysical work, and overlapping clients in the European offshore wind developer base.
• MEC Survey Group: Specialist hydrographic and marine survey firm delivering geophysical, benthic and habitat surveys for offshore wind and interconnector projects, comparable in scale and service mix to Ocean Ecology's nearshore/coastal offering.

Broad incumbents

• APEM (AECOM): Ecological and environmental survey consultancy, now part of AECOM, providing freshwater and marine surveys, habitat assessment and biodiversity monitoring for infrastructure and energy clients across the UK — overlaps on habitat assessment and ecological monitoring.
• Fugro: Global leader in marine site characterisation, geophysical and geotechnical surveys for offshore wind and O&G. Competes on large offshore wind survey tenders while offering a much broader geo-data portfolio than Ocean Ecology's ecological specialism.
• RPS Group (Tetra Tech): Environmental and marine consultancy, now part of Tetra Tech, providing EIA, consenting and marine environmental services across offshore wind, O&G decommissioning and coastal infrastructure — overlapping on EIA and consenting work.
• Gardline (Boskalis): Long-established UK marine survey company now part of Boskalis, delivering geophysical, geotechnical and environmental surveys for offshore wind and O&G globally — direct competitor on large survey tenders with broader vessel-based delivery.
• SLR Consulting: Global environmental and advisory consultancy providing marine EIA, habitat assessment and permitting services across offshore wind, ports and aquaculture — overlaps on EIA, consenting and habitat mapping work.
• ERM: Global sustainability and environmental consultancy with offshore wind, O&G and aquaculture clients. Listed as an Ocean Ecology partner on engagements, indicating direct overlap on environmental and ESG advisory work for shared enterprise clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ocean_ecology
• Facebookfacebook.com/oceanecology
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocean-ecology-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/ocean_ecology

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Ocean Ecology