What Bernhard Schulte Offshore does

Bernhard Schulte Offshore GmbH (BSO) is a Hamburg-based shipping company founded in 2015 as the dedicated offshore unit of the Schulte Group, a family-owned maritime conglomerate with shipping roots dating back to 1883. The company operates a fleet of six specialized Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) and Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) serving the global offshore wind industry, with supporting capability for oil and gas offshore platforms. Its core technology is built on Ulstein's proprietary hull designs — including the industry-first TWIN X-STERN and X-BOW reverse bow — combined with diesel-electric hybrid propulsion, battery energy storage systems, methanol fuel readiness, motion-compensated walk-to-work gangways, 3D-compensated cranes, and accommodations for up to 132 personnel. BSO pioneered several firsts in the SOV/CSOV segment, including the first SOV without steps (Windea La Cour, 2016) and the first SOV with battery-based hybrid propulsion (Windea Jules Verne, 2020).

The company generates revenue primarily through long-term vessel charter commitments and spot charter arrangements with enterprise clients in the offshore wind sector, including turbine manufacturers (GE Renewable Energy, Siemens Wind Power Service, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy), transmission system operators (TenneT), and developers. BSO operates a direct enterprise field sales model, supplemented by joint ventures WINDEA Offshore (with Ems Maritime Offshore and Buss Offshore Solutions, established 2018) and WINDEA Offshore US (with MidOcean Wind, established 2019) that provide integrated offshore wind solutions and U.S. market access with Jones Act compliant vessels. Vessel ownership structures include joint venture partnerships with institutional investors, currently Jupiter 9 Limited following the 2021 replacement of ICBC Leasing. BSO's go-to-market leverages the Schulte Group's 30+ global offices and 40,000+ crew network.

Name

Bernhard Schulte Offshore

Legal name

Bernhard Schulte Offshore GmbH

Website

https://bs-offshore.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bernhard Schulte Offshore is a Hamburg-based shipping company operating a fleet of six specialized SOVs and CSOVs that support offshore wind farm construction and operations for enterprise clients including turbine OEMs, grid operators, and wind farm developers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Offshore Wind Vessel Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Construction, Mining, and Forestry Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (532412)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Offshore Wind & Renewable Support Vessel Construction (SOV, CTV, WTIV) (IMAJACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Offshore Wind Project Development & Leasing (EUAMACAB), Offshore Support & Marine Logistics Vessel Operators (PSV/AHTS) (TLADABAL)

Keywords

• Offshore service vessels
• Offshore wind support
• Vessel charter services
• Crew transfer vessels
• Offshore wind logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Vessel Charter Services: BS Offshore operates as an asset provider for the offshore wind industry, offering SOV and CSOV vessels to clients for long-term commitments or spot charter requirements. Revenue is generated through vessel charters to support construction and operation of wind farms, as well as offshore platforms and FPSO operations.
2. Ship Management Services: Schulte Marine Concept provides technical and management services and value-added end-to-end solutions for newbuilding, conversion and retrofit projects, as well as for fleets in service.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Bernhard Schulte Offshore is an asset provider for the offshore wind industry, chartering a fleet of purpose-built Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) and Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) to clients for construction support, commissioning, and operations & maintenance of offshore wind farms. The fleet also supports offshore platforms and FPSO operations. Revenue is generated through long-term charter commitments and spot charter arrangements to enterprise clients.

Product overview

Bernhard Schulte Offshore operates a fleet of six specialised offshore service vessels serving the global offshore energy industry. The core offering comprises Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) and Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) designed for offshore wind farm support, including construction and O&M operations. The vessel portfolio includes WINDEA La Cour (first X-STERN vessel, 2016), WINDEA Leibniz (upgraded to CSOV, 2017), WINDEA Jules Verne (first battery hybrid propulsion, 2020), Windea Curie (2025), Windea Clausius (2025), and Windea Carnot (2026). All vessels feature Ulstein's innovative hull designs (X-STERN/TWIN X-STERN), motion compensated gangways, hybrid battery propulsion with methanol fuel readiness, and are built/design by Ulstein. The company operates through joint ventures including WINDEA Offshore (Germany) and WINDEA Offshore US (United States).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WINDEA Offshore: Joint venture brand providing multiple solutions from one source to the offshore wind industry, co-founded by Bernhard Schulte Offshore, Ems Maritime Offshore, and Buss Offshore Solutions
• WINDEA Offshore US
• Windea

Products and services

• Service Operation Vessel (SOV) Charter Services Purpose-built Service Operation Vessels providing reliable platforms for offshore wind farm operations and maintenance support, including technician accommodation and transport, and safe access to offshore installations. Chartered to enterprise clients under long-term commitments or spot arrangements.
• Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV) Charter Services Purpose-built Commissioning Service Operation Vessels designed to support offshore wind farm construction and operation. Feature walk-to-work motion compensated gangways, elevator towers for personnel and cargo transfer, hybrid battery propulsion with methanol fuel readiness, and TWIN X-STERN design for enhanced dynamic positioning operations, accommodating up to 132 personnel.
• Ship Management Services for Offshore Platforms and FPSOs

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 132 personnel accommodation capacity on latest CSOV vessels
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• WINDEA Offshore USAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Joint venture between BSO and MidOcean Wind formed in late 2018 to serve as a single point of contact for offshore wind customers in the U.S. market, mirroring the efforts of the established German WINDEA Offshore entity.
• MidOcean Wind LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019U.S.-based joint venture partner specializing in Jones Act compliant vessel operations. Partnership enables BS Offshore to provide specialized offshore wind vessels built under local regulations at U.S. shipyards for the emerging U.S. offshore wind market.
• WINDEA OffshorecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Joint venture between Bernhard Schulte Offshore, Ems Maritime Offshore, and Buss Offshore Solutions to provide multiple solutions from one source to the offshore wind industry. WINDEA Offshore has provided services to nearly every German wind farm project and is a key strategic partnership for BS Offshore's offshore wind operations.
• Ulstein VerftcoreTechnology or IntegrationNorwegian shipyard responsible for design and construction of BS Offshore's SOV and CSOV vessels. Long-standing partnership with Ulstein for newbuilding projects, including TWIN X-STERN and X-BOW designed vessels.
• Crist ShipyardcoreTechnology or IntegrationPolish shipyard (Crist S.A.) in Gdynia builds CSOV hulls for BS Offshore before vessels are towed to Ulstein Verft in Norway for final outfitting and commissioning.
• Schulte Marine ConceptcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides comprehensive technical and management services, value-added end-to-end solutions for newbuilding, conversion and retrofit projects, and fleet management. Supervises construction of BS Offshore vessels.
• Bernhard Schulte GmbH & Co. KGcoreOthersHolding company of Bernhard Schulte Offshore, part of the Schulte Group owning over 30 companies providing complementary services for offshore clients.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ESVAGT: Danish operator of SOVs and emergency response vessels serving European offshore wind farms; one of the longest-standing SOV operators and a direct competitor on long-term wind charter tenders, with shared Siemens Gamesa / Vestas customer relationships.
• Vroon Offshore Wind: Dutch operator with a dedicated offshore wind fleet including SOVs serving European wind farms. Long-standing maritime heritage comparable to Schulte Group and similar customer set of OEMs and European utilities.
• North Star Renewables: UK-based operator building a dedicated SOV/CSOV fleet for offshore wind in the North Sea, with newbuilds from shipyards including Ulstein and Vard. Competes head-to-head with BSO on long-term OEM and developer charter contracts.
• Edda Wind: Norwegian pure-play operator of SOVs and CSOVs dedicated to the offshore wind industry, with a fleet purpose-built on Ulstein designs (similar to BSO's SX222/SX195 hulls). Closest direct competitor by mission, technology, and customer base.
• Integrated Wind Solutions (IWS Fleet): Dutch-headquartered pure-play SOV/CSOV operator with a growing fleet of purpose-built offshore wind service vessels. Directly comparable by business model and target customers (Siemens Gamesa, Vestas, major utilities).
• Siem Offshore Contractors: Norwegian owner/operator of offshore support and service vessels including SOVs for offshore wind, with comparable Ulstein-based designs. Competes with BSO for North Sea charter contracts and is a credible alternative supplier to the same OEM customers.

Broad incumbents

• DOF Group: Norwegian/Brazilian offshore support vessel operator with global scale in OSVs and an emerging wind presence. Larger and broader than BSO, but overlapping in offshore marine services for energy projects.
• Solstad Offshore: Large Norwegian owner/operator of offshore support vessels (OSVs) historically serving oil & gas, now redeploying and ordering tonnage into offshore wind. Larger and more diversified than BSO, but operates in adjacent vessel categories.
• Cadeler: Danish-listed owner/operator of offshore wind installation and service vessels (formed via merger of Swire Pacific Offshore and Eneti). Operates in the broader offshore wind vessel space, including SOVs, and competes for high-end wind tonnage orders.

Others

• WINDEA Offshore (JV peers Ems Maritime Offshore & Buss Offshore Solutions): Joint-venture partners of BSO in the WINDEA Offshore brand, providing crew transfer vessels and offshore wind logistics solutions. Strategic partners rather than competitors, but comparable in target market and customer base.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bernhard-schulte-offshore-gmbh
• Xx.com/bs_offshore

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Bernhard Schulte Offshore