The Zidell Companies

What The Zidell Companies does

The Zidell Companies operates through its division Zidell Marine Corporation, a Portland, Oregon-based steel barge constructor and fleet operator. The company builds new steel barges for sale or lease, with custom construction capabilities up to 90 feet in width and football-field lengths, and currently has more than 300 double and single hull barges operating under its name across the U.S. West Coast (Alaska to San Diego), Hawaii, and inland Columbia/Snake River systems. Its fleet moves diverse bulk and liquid cargoes including lumber, grain, chemicals, petroleum products, sand, gravel, wood chips, and general freight, serving commercial marine operators, shipping companies, and industrial clients with both river and ocean-going configurations.

The company generates revenue through three primary streams: (1) one-time sales of custom-built steel barges to commercial marine operators, (2) recurring charter arrangements offered in four modalities (Bareboat Charter for vessel-only leasing, Voyage Charter for per-trip service, Time Charter for fixed-term rental, and Charter-Purchase for lease-to-own arrangements), and (3) recurring barge leasing for short-term and long-term use across its managed fleet of bulk-cargo, liquid-cargo, ocean-going, and river-configured vessels. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with contract terms tailored to specifications, charter type, and lease duration.

The business is structured around vertical integration: Zidell both constructs barges and operates a substantial in-house fleet, providing first-hand operational feedback into its construction methods and enabling durable, long-life asset design. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales targeting commercial marine operators, with no named customer logos disclosed in available sources. The company has operated continuously for over 40 years and is privately held, with no disclosed ownership, investors, parent entities, or financial reporting.

Name

The Zidell Companies

Legal name

Zidell Marine Corporation

Website

https://zidellmarine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Zidell Companies, through Zidell Marine Corporation, designs, builds, and leases custom steel barges (up to 90 feet wide) for commercial marine operators hauling bulk and liquid cargoes across the U.S. West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, and inland river systems, offering construction sales plus bareboat, voyage, time, and charter-purchase arrangements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Barge Construction and Leasing

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (3366)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTLAHAMAH

Steel Fabrication & Marine Engineering (Custom Fabrication, Modifications, Conversions)

Transportation & Logistics/Ports, Terminals & Maritime Services/Ship Repair, Dry Docking & Marine Engineering Services

SECONDARYIMAJAAAL

Specialized Cargo Vessels (Cement/Asphalt/Woodchip/Live-Animal) Shipbuilding

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Marine & Shipbuilding/Commercial Shipbuilding (Cargo & Tankers)

Keywords

• Steel barge construction
• Barge leasing services
• Marine cargo transport
• Ocean and river barges
• Commercial charter services

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Barge Construction and Sales: Builds custom steel barges to customer specifications for outright purchase. Offers both single and double hull barge designs for various cargo types including bulk goods, liquids, and heavy commodities.
2. Barge Charter Services: Provides various charter arrangements including Bareboat Charter (vessel only), Voyage Charter (per-trip), Time Charter (fixed term), and Charter-Purchase options. Covers ocean-going and river barge operations.
3. Barge Leasing: Manages and leases a diverse fleet of barges for short-term and long-term use. Fleet includes barges for bulk and liquid cargoes, custom-built units, and ocean-going and river configurations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Zidell Marine Corporation designs and builds custom new steel barges for sale or lease, with vessels reaching up to 90 feet in width and football-field length. The company also operates its own fleet of 300+ double and single hull barges and offers bareboat, voyage, time, and charter-purchase options along with outright barge sales for shipping customers.

Product overview

The Zidell Companies operates through its division Zidell Marine Corporation, a barge building and leasing company headquartered in Portland, Oregon with over 40 years of experience. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of barge-related products and services including custom steel barge construction (for sale or lease), multiple charter options (Bareboat Charter, Voyage Charter, Time Charter, and Charter-Purchase arrangements), and direct barge sales. Their fleet of over 300 double and single hull barges serves the entire West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, and ports on the Columbia and Snake River systems, moving cargoes such as lumber, grain, chemicals, petroleum products, sand, gravel, and wood chips.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Steel Barge Construction Custom steel barge building services for sale or lease, constructing durable barges up to 90 feet in width and as long as a football field for hauling diverse commodities including lumber, grain, chemicals, petroleum products, wood chips, sand and gravel.
• Bareboat Charter Bareboat charter service allowing customers to lease barges without crew, providing full operational control for their cargo transportation needs.
• Voyage Charter Voyage charter service for short-term or long-term barge transportation, where the vessel is hired for a specific voyage between designated ports.
• Time Charter Time charter service providing barge rental for a defined period, with the customer determining cargo routes and destinations during the charter term.
• Charter-Purchase Options Flexible financing arrangement combining elements of charter and purchase, allowing customers to eventually own the barge through their lease payments.
• Barge Sales Direct sale of newly constructed and existing barges from the company fleet of 300+ double and single hull barges operating throughout the West Coast, Alaska, Hawaii, and Columbia/Snake River systems.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Bollinger Shipyards: Large US shipbuilder operating multiple yards, constructing barges, offshore vessels, and government craft. Comparable as a domestic steel vessel builder serving commercial marine and government customers, though it operates at significantly larger scale.
• Trinity Marine Products: One of the largest US builders of inland and ocean barges with multiple shipyards across the country. Comparable as a major steel barge manufacturer serving overlapping commercial marine customers, but with significantly broader geographic and product scope.
• Conrad Shipyard: Gulf Coast shipbuilder producing barges, tugboats, and offshore supply vessels. Comparable as a domestic steel barge and small commercial vessel builder, though focused primarily on Gulf and East Coast markets.

Direct peers

• Marine Inland Fabricators: Specialty steel barge and marine structure fabricator serving inland waterway and coastal operators. Comparable in product focus (custom steel barges) and target customer base of commercial marine shippers.
• Vigor Industrial: Pacific Northwest shipyard group with operations in Portland and the Columbia River system, building and repairing barges, tugs, and government vessels. Directly comparable to Zidell in geography, customer base (West Coast marine operators), and steel barge fabrication.
• The Gunderson Marine (Greenbrier Marine): Oregon-based barge and railcar builder with a long history of constructing ocean and river barges for the West Coast trade. Closely comparable in product mix (steel deck and hopper barges) and regional end markets served.

Regional players

• Jeffboat (former): Historically the largest inland barge builder in the US, based in Indiana on the Ohio River system. Comparable as a steel barge manufacturer focused on inland waterway commerce, but serving the Midwest river system rather than the West Coast.
• Master Boat Builders: Gulf Coast shipyard constructing tugboats, barges, and small commercial vessels. Comparable as a regional steel vessel builder for commercial marine operators, though operating in a different US geography.
• St. Louis Ship (former): Historic inland barge and towboat builder based on the Mississippi River system. Comparable as a steel barge constructor serving inland waterway commercial marine customers, primarily in the central US river trades.

Emerging players

• Corn Island Shipyard: Inland river shipyard building barges and small commercial vessels for the Ohio/Mississippi river system. Comparable as a smaller custom steel barge builder targeting regional commercial marine customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The Zidell Companies