CLS Southern Africa

What CLS Southern Africa does

CLS Southern Africa is a Cape Town-based subsidiary of the CLS Group (Collecte Localisation Satellites), itself a subsidiary of the French Space Agency (CNES) and CNP. Founded in 2003 and acquired by the CLS Group in March 2021, the company delivers space-based Earth observation and environmental intelligence solutions across five strategic markets: Environment & Climate Monitoring, Sustainable Fisheries Management, Maritime Security, Mobility, and Energies & Infrastructures Monitoring. Its core technology stack integrates satellite data (400+ satellites including the proprietary Argos system, Sentinel missions, radar, and optical imagery) with in-situ oceanographic and metocean instrumentation to produce actionable monitoring, surveillance, and decision-support outputs.

The company's product portfolio comprises integrated platforms — THEMIS (fisheries monitoring), MAS (AI-powered maritime domain awareness), HUMANAV (humanitarian fleet tracking), EAZY COLLECTE (waste management), SEAPODYM (marine ecosystem modeling) — supplemented by specialized offerings including the locally-assembled DeepCLiDAR floating LiDAR for offshore wind, CATSAT for fishery intelligence, VMS/ERS for vessel and catch reporting, Argos satellite airtime, and SARWind offshore wind data. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified and a B-BBEE Level 4 contributor.

CLS Southern Africa generates revenue through multi-year government and institutional service contracts, equipment sales and rentals (acting as sole agent for Southern Africa for nine global oceanographic equipment manufacturers), satellite airtime subscriptions (Iridium and Argos connectivity), and professional marine consultancy. Its go-to-market is sales-led, targeting fisheries authorities, maritime security agencies, energy operators, UN humanitarian organizations, and scientific institutions, with distribution supplemented through the global CLS Group network.

Name

CLS Southern Africa

Legal name

COLLECTE LOCALISATION SATELLITES

Website

https://southern-africa.groupcls.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CLS Southern Africa is a Cape Town-based subsidiary of the French Space Agency-backed CLS Group, delivering satellite-based Earth observation, fisheries monitoring, maritime security, and environmental intelligence solutions to government and institutional clients across Southern Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Satellite Earth Observation & Monitoring

NAICS

Satellite Telecommunications (5174), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms (BPAMANAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Satellite/Aerial/Remote Sensing MRV (Methane plumes, land-use change) (EUAHADAL), Remote Sensing & Geospatial MRV (Satellite, Aerial, LiDAR, SAR) (EUABACAF), Remote Sensing & Geospatial Vision (satellite/drone imagery) (HDAAAEAL), Benchmarking, Ratings & Stakeholder Reporting Portals (Scorecards, Dashboards) (EUABAEAJ)

Keywords

• Satellite earth observation
• Maritime surveillance
• Fisheries monitoring
• Environmental monitoring
• Offshore wind measurement

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Operational Monitoring & Surveillance Services: Long-term service contracts delivering satellite-based monitoring, data analytics, and decision-support for fisheries management, maritime security, environmental monitoring, and mobility operations. Revenue is recurring, typically multi-year government or institutional contracts.
2. Equipment Sales & Rentals: Sale and rental of oceanographic, metocean, and environmental monitoring equipment including ROVs, buoys, ADCPs, weather stations, sensors, and the DeepCLiDAR floating LiDAR system. Equipment can be purchased outright or rented on a short- or long-term basis, with CLS SA acting as sole agent for Southern Africa for multiple global manufacturers.
3. Satellite Airtime & Connectivity: Satellite airtime services providing Iridium and Argos satellite connectivity for tracking devices, oceanographic instruments, and field equipment deployed in remote locations.
4. Professional Services & Consultancy: Marine environmental consultancy, bespoke metocean instrument deployments, operational support, and specialized technical services for ports, harbours, energy, aquaculture, mining, governmental, and infrastructure sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CLS Southern Africa delivers space-based Earth observation and monitoring solutions, integrating satellite data (Argos, Sentinel, radar, optical) with in-situ oceanographic and metocean instrumentation to provide environmental, maritime, fisheries, mobility, and energy intelligence. The company builds proprietary platforms (THEMIS, MAS, CATSAT, HUMANAV, EAZY COLLECTE, SEAPODYM) and designs the DeepCLiDAR floating LiDAR system locally in South Africa. It also sells and rents oceanographic and metocean equipment and provides professional consultancy services for ports, harbours, energy, mining, governmental, and infrastructure sectors.

Product overview

CLS Southern Africa offers a suite of space-based monitoring and analytics solutions organized into five strategic markets: Environment & Climate Monitoring, Sustainable Fisheries Management, Maritime Security, Mobility, and Energies & Infrastructures Monitoring. The portfolio consists of integrated platforms (THEMIS for fisheries, MAS for maritime awareness, HUMANAV for humanitarian mobility, EAZY COLLECTE for waste management) supported by specialized products including satellite services (Argos, CATSAT, SARWind), sensor systems (DeepCLiDAR floating LiDAR, VMS, ERS), and ecosystem modeling tools (SEAPODYM, MEMMS). The company also provides oceanographic equipment rentals and sales through its equipment division. All solutions are delivered as SaaS platforms via web dashboards with satellite connectivity for remote operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HUMANAV: Fleet management solution designed to support humanitarian organizations in addressing their daily operational challenges in the field. Launched in 2006, this web-based platform enables real-time tracking and management of humanitarian vehicle fleets.
• EAZY COLLECTE
• DeepCLiDAR
• CATSAT
• THEMIS
• Maritime Awareness System (MAS)
• ShipLoc
• SEAPODYM

Products and services

• THEMIS Advanced fisheries monitoring and decision-support platform that combines satellite data, vessel monitoring information, and environmental intelligence for comprehensive fishing activity oversight at fisheries monitoring centers.
• Maritime Awareness System (MAS) AI-powered maritime surveillance platform leveraging big data analytics and multi-source data fusion (AIS, VMS, satellite imagery, OSINT, administrative databases) for real-time maritime domain awareness, anomaly detection, and risk identification.
• CATSAT Onboard decision-support software that helps fishermen identify productive fishing areas by combining satellite oceanography, environmental data, and operational expertise to optimize routes, reduce fuel consumption, and improve catch selectivity.
• Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Robust vessel monitoring solutions with marine-grade transponders ensuring secure, reliable, and continuous data transmission for fishing compliance and regulatory oversight.
• SEAPODYM Ocean ecosystem model that simulates and forecasts marine life dynamics, predicting biomass and distribution of micronekton functional groups to support fisheries management, marine conservation, and ecosystem-based decision-making.
• HUMANAV Web-based fleet tracking and management platform launched in 2006 for humanitarian organizations, providing real-time vehicle tracking, anomaly detection (including GPS spoofing/jamming alerts), convoy coordination, and situational awareness for aid organizations in complex environments.
• EAZY COLLECTE Comprehensive citizen relationship management and waste collection optimization platform combining telematics, data analytics, and connected tools for route planning, performance monitoring, and citizen engagement for local authorities and municipalities.
• DeepCLiDAR Next-generation floating LiDAR system designed and assembled locally in South Africa, providing high-precision wind, wave, and atmospheric measurements for offshore wind energy site assessment with advanced motion correction algorithms and robust marine-grade engineering.
• SARWind Satellite-based high-resolution offshore wind data service supporting site selection, asset protection, and operational planning for offshore energy operators.
• Argos Satellite Connectivity Services Satellite-based global connectivity and geolocation service providing reliable data transmission for wildlife tracking transmitters, oceanographic instruments, and operational sensors deployed in remote and extreme environments worldwide.
• Sentinel-6B Altimetry Processing Satellite altimetry calibration, validation, and processing service for the Sentinel-6B mission supporting ocean observation and global climate monitoring on behalf of ESA, EUMETSAT, CNES, and the European Commission.
• Oceanographic & Metocean Equipment Sales and Rentals Sale and rental of oceanographic, metocean, and environmental monitoring equipment (ROVs, buoys, ADCPs, weather stations, sensors, DeepCLiDAR) with CLS SA acting as sole agent for Southern Africa for multiple global manufacturers including Deepwater Buoyancy, Hydro-Bios, RBR, Deep Trekker, Hydroptic, Nortek, Datawell, Radac, and Edgetech.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.9%+ Overall System Availability (OSACA) and 96.6%+ Overall Post-processed Data Availability (OPDACA) achieved during a 7-month offshore wind measurement campaign in South African waters
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability6 records

Feature12 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLS Southern Africa was awarded a five-year tender by SAPRI to deliver Iridium and Argos satellite connectivity for scientific research equipment deployed in the Southern Ocean and polar ice regions, supporting wildlife monitoring and polar ecosystem research.
• CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLS Group is a subsidiary of CNES (French Space Agency), created in 1986 to operate the Argos satellite system. CNES provides institutional backing, satellite access, and scientific partnership for Earth observation missions including Sentinel-6B and Argos operations.
• ESA / EUMETSAT / European Commission (Copernicus)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLS serves as a long-term partner for Copernicus Sentinel satellites, responsible for calibrating, validating, and processing satellite altimetry measurements for Sentinel-6B and other missions on behalf of ESA, EUMETSAT, CNES, and European Commission.
• Two Oceans Aquarium FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation, and long-distance migration tracking. Bheni the sea turtle's 18,000 km journey across the Indian Ocean was facilitated by Argos satellite technology provided by CLS Southern Africa.
• TRE AltamiracoreTechnology or IntegrationCLS Group subsidiary providing satellite radar interferometry (InSAR) for ground deformation monitoring, supporting mining and civil engineering infrastructure monitoring across Africa.
• Woods Hole Group (CLS Subsidiary)coreTechnology or IntegrationCLS subsidiary based in the USA contributing turbulence intensity (TI) methodology development for offshore wind measurement, and coastal resilience expertise including the Climate Ready Boston initiative.
• Meteodyn (CLS Subsidiary)coreTechnology or IntegrationCLS subsidiary operating in France, China, and India, providing wind engineering, weather modeling, and climatology expertise for renewable energy development and smart city design.
• Quiet-Oceans (CLS Subsidiary)coreTechnology or IntegrationCLS subsidiary providing underwater acoustics expertise for monitoring noise levels and mitigating impacts on marine ecosystems, ensuring compliance with regional and international environmental standards for offshore energy operations.
• FAOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLS participates alongside FAO in UN Ocean Conference 2025 and joint initiatives for sustainable fisheries management and the modernization of artisanal fisheries.
• WWF MediterraneanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of UNOC 2025 side event on modernizing artisanal fisheries alongside DGAMPA, FAO, WWF Mediterranean, SATHOAN Cooperative, PNG Fisheries Authority, and Fondation de la Mer.
• AbalobiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting small-scale and artisanal fishers with electronic catch reporting and sustainable fisheries tools, contributing to equitable and sustainable fisheries management.
• Global Marine ServiceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMaritime solutions partner referenced in the sustainable fisheries ecosystem, providing complementary services for African maritime operations.
• Dynamic ElementsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMaritime technology partner referenced in the sustainable fisheries ecosystem for African waters.
• Marine Diesel & ElectronicsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMaritime equipment and electronics partner supporting vessel operations and maintenance across African maritime sectors.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Spire Global: Space-to-cloud data and analytics company providing satellite-based AIS, weather, and Earth observation data — comparable data-fusion and AI capabilities underpinning CLS's MAS platform.
• Planet Labs: Large publicly traded Earth observation company with a much broader constellation and analytics offering; serves overlapping maritime surveillance, environmental monitoring, and agriculture/defense intelligence customers in Africa and globally.
• Fugro: Global leader in offshore site characterization and metocean services. Overlaps with CLS Southern Africa's DeepCLiDAR campaigns, offshore wind, oil & gas, and coastal infrastructure monitoring offerings.

Direct peers

• exactEarth (now Kratos Maritime): Satellite-based AIS vessel tracking specialist that competes directly with CLS's ShipLoc, VMS, and MAS offerings for maritime domain awareness customers, including fisheries authorities and maritime security agencies.
• CLS Brasil: Direct sibling entity within the CLS Group operating in Brazil with the same Earth observation, fisheries monitoring, and maritime surveillance product portfolio adapted to a different geography. Most comparable peer by business model, product stack, and institutional backing.
• AXYS Technologies (a Z miss? see: AXYS / OPT): Manufacturer of floating LiDAR buoys (TRIAXYS) used for offshore wind resource assessment, directly competing with DeepCLiDAR in South African and global wind measurement tenders.
• CLS Indonesia: Another CLS Group regional subsidiary focused on fisheries management, maritime domain awareness, and ocean monitoring across Southeast Asia, offering the same THEMIS/MAS/Argos-based product set as CLS Southern Africa.
• Woods Hole Group: U.S.-based CLS subsidiary specializing in metocean measurement, offshore wind surveys, and coastal resilience consulting. Comparable to CLS Southern Africa's offshore wind LiDAR campaign work and coastal/ocean engineering consultancy offerings.

Emerging players

• Pole Star Space Applications: Provider of maritime intelligence, vessel tracking, and fleet management solutions to government and commercial operators, partially overlapping with CLS's THEMIS, MAS, and ShipLoc platforms.

Regional players

• Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) South Africa: South African public research organization with overlapping oceanographic, Earth observation, and environmental monitoring capabilities serving regional government and research clients in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CLS_Group
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CLSatellites
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cls-southern-africa

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 CLS Southern Africa