What Silverback Marine does

Silverback Marine is a design-led, privately held manufacturer of custom aluminum workboats headquartered at 407 E Alexander Ave in Tacoma, Washington. Founded in 2016 and operating as Silverback Industries, LLC, the company designs and builds vessels ranging from 14 to 75 feet LOA for federal, state, and local government agencies alongside commercial operators. Its catalog spans patrol boats (Grizzly LE/21/24), landing craft and yacht tenders (Sherpa 24/28/LE/T/T), multi-mission patrol-fire-EMT boats (Apache EMT 33), harbor tugs (OX), crew boats (Amarok 34), powered deck barges (Versabarge 24), and utility skiffs (Supercub), with a recently introduced 100% electric workboat, the eGrizzly 24, built around Photon Marine P300 outboards.

The technical foundation rests on 5086 marine-grade aluminum construction, CNC profile cutting, DFMA engineering, ORCA 3D CFD hydrostatics analysis, ABYC/AWS/USCG-compliant fabrication, and a proprietary three-step marine-grade powder coating process. Differentiating IP includes the granted PETESTEP hull patent (reducing slamming by up to 50% and improving efficiency by up to 35%) and a patent-pending Euro Transom design, supplemented by an exclusive HDPE Armoring system using mechanically fastened, replaceable panels for hullside protection.

The business model centers on bespoke enterprise sales through a co-design workflow that produces photo-realistic renderings before construction, with acquisition options spanning purchase, lease, and trade-in. Government law enforcement, fire/EMT, and maritime agencies are primary customers; commercial ports, fleet operators, and luxury yachting are secondary. Revenue streams include custom vessel sales, standalone design and specification writing services, accessory e-commerce, and emerging electric lease arrangements via Photon Marine. CARB Commercial Harbor Craft certification and eight CARB CORE-approved electric configurations position the company in the incentive-funded zero-emission workboat channel, with combined operator incentives up to $400,000 per vessel.

Name

Silverback Marine

Legal name

Silverback Industries, LLC

Website

https://silverbackmarine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Silverback Marine is a Tacoma-based, design-led manufacturer of custom aluminum workboats (14–75 ft) including patrol boats, landing craft, fire/EMT vessels, harbor tugs, and an electric workboat. It serves government law enforcement, fire, maritime, and commercial operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aluminum Workboat Manufacturing

NAICS

Ship and Boat Building (33661), Boat Building (336612)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Landing Craft & Amphibious Workboats (LCM/LCT-style, Beaching Craft) (IMAJADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Patrol, Interceptor & Law-Enforcement Craft (Coast Guard, Customs) (IMAJADAD), Fireboats & Emergency Response Craft (IMAJADAH), Government & Municipal Service Craft (Research, Survey, Inspection, Buoy Tenders) (IMAJADAL)

Keywords

• Aluminum workboat manufacturing
• Patrol boat design
• Landing craft building
• Marine vessel engineering
• Fire rescue boats

Headquarters

HQ city

Tacoma

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Aluminum Vessel Sales: Bespoke aluminum vessel manufacturing between 22' and 75' LOA for government and private sector. Custom design process with co-design approach. In-stock inventory occasionally available. Prices vary by model and configuration.
2. Design and Specification Services: Many customers contract Silverback strictly for vessel design and specification writing to establish benchmark design standard prior to generating an RFQ. Enables accurate estimates from multiple builders.
3. Accessories and Merchandise: E-commerce sales of branded merchandise including apparel (hoodies, jackets, caps), gear (dry bags, water bottles), and accessories (sunglasses). Prices range from $6.54 to $75.00.
4. Boat Leasing: Acquisition options include purchase lease arrangements for vessels. Photon Marine has approximately 20 units scheduled for testing under lease agreements including two-year deal with NYPA.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Silverback Marine designs and builds custom aluminum workboats between roughly 16 and 75 feet LOA, including landing craft, police and fire patrol boats, truckable harbor tugs, crew boats, powered deck barges, work skiffs, and yacht tenders. All vessels are ABYC- and USCG-compliant, manufactured in-house at its Commencement Bay facility in Tacoma, WA, with a co-design process that delivers photorealistic renderings before fabrication. The company also offers professional vessel design and specification services for clients benchmarking RFQs and sells a small line of branded apparel and gear.

Product overview

Silverback Marine is a design-led manufacturer of aluminum workboats ranging from 14 to 75 feet LOA. Their product portfolio spans multiple specialized vessel categories: the Grizzly series (Grizzly LE, Grizzly 21, Grizzly 24) serving police, patrol, and utility functions; the Sherpa series (Sherpa 24, Sherpa 28, Sherpa LE, Sherpa T/T) for landing craft and yacht tender applications; the Apache EMT 33 for combined patrol/fire/EMT operations; the OX truckable tractor tug for harbor operations; the Amarok 34 crew boat for ship-to-shore transfer; the Versabarge 24 powered deck barge; and the Supercub work skiff series. Their latest innovation is the eGrizzly 24, a 100% electric workboat featuring Photon Marine P300 electric outboards with proprietary fleet management software. All vessels are designed and manufactured at their Tacoma, WA facility using ABYC and USCG compliant processes. The company also offers a limited line of branded gear and apparel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grizzly LE 21-foot aluminum law enforcement patrol boat featuring patented PETESTEP hull technology that reduces slamming by up to 50% and increases efficiency by up to 35%. Outfitted with 18" bow door, PRC, gun locker, and 360-degree fendering for police, fish & wildlife, and maritime enforcement agencies.
• Grizzly 21 21-foot aluminum utility workboat with self-bailing decks, center console with windshield, and push knees, designed for compact transportability and general commercial/government use.
• Grizzly 24 24-foot aluminum workboat with Silverback's exclusive HDPE Armoring system for hullside protection and patent-pending transom design, available in open or full cabin (heating, AC, Garmin suite) configurations.
• Sherpa 24 Landing Craft 24.5-foot high-speed aluminum landing craft with patent-pending Euro Transom hull design, 70" wide bow door, HDPE fendering, twin 200 HP Mercury outboards, and a composite wheelhouse with Garmin electronics; available in multiple cabin layouts.
• Sherpa 28 Landing Craft 28-foot aluminum utility landing craft with spacious walkaround cabin, dual sliding doors, overhead spotter windows, 80" bow door, and twin 300 HP Mercury Seapro outboards for cargo transport, dive operations, and equipment delivery.
• Sherpa LE 28-foot aluminum law enforcement landing craft combining Sherpa hull features with LE and firefighting equipment, including 80" bow door, HDPE fendering, walk-thru cabin, and twin Mercury 300 HP engines.
• Sherpa T/T Yacht Tender Aluminum landing craft yacht tender featuring folding mast, 80" wide bow door with flush dive ladder, patent-pending Euro Transom design, twin outboards, and up to 5,500 lb payload capacity for ship-to-shore transport of bulky cargo, kayaks, ATVs, and dive gear.
• OX Truckable Tractor Tug 25.9-foot, 16-foot beam mini harbor tug with twin Azimuth thruster (Z drive) propulsion and twin Cummins QSL9 300 HP engines producing 14,000 lb bollard pull; avoids Subchapter M requirements and is equipped with a 30 kW generator and 400-gallon fuel capacity.
• Apache EMT 33 33-foot aluminum collared patrol and fire boat combining law enforcement, firefighting, and EMT response with twin Mercury 450 HP engines (50 MPH top speed), Darley HGE 37 fire pump, TFT Tornado fire monitor, and 40" bow landing door for municipal fire/EMT agencies.
• Amarok 34 Crew Boat 34-foot aluminum line handling crew boat for rapid ship-to-shore crew transfer and tug-assist, featuring a 6-crew wheelhouse, push knees, below-deck storage, removable rails, and a flush deck for safe line handling; configurable for 6–11 passengers.
• Versabarge 24 Powered Deck Barge 24-foot aluminum powered deck barge with quarter cab design, push knees, tow post, optional knuckleboom hydraulic crane, twin 150 HP Mercury Seapro outboards, 200-gallon fuel capacity, and 5,500 lb cargo payload for heavy equipment transport.
• Supercub 16 Work Skiff 16-foot aluminum work skiff featuring patent-pending Euro Transom design, self-bailing decks, push knees, 50 HP motor, and 40-gallon fuel capacity; top speed of 34 MPH with 1,400 lb load for utility and yacht support duties.
• eGrizzly 24 Electric Workboat 100% electric aluminum workboat powered by twin Photon P300 electric outboard motors with Kriesel 63 kWh battery; 30 NM range, 40 MPH top speed, self-bailing deck, HDPE armoring, quarter cab, and proprietary fleet management software with OTA updates; pricing as low as $77,000 after CARB incentives.
• Silverback Gear & Apparel Direct e-commerce line of branded merchandise including Silverback Shades impact-resistant sunglasses, 5L and 1L water bottles, 5L dry bag, flip traveler, caps, lightweight and heavyweight hoodies, and windproof work jackets; priced from $6.54 to $75.00.
• Vessel Design and Specification Services Professional marine design and specification writing services that produce a benchmark vessel design package for clients to issue as an RFQ to multiple builders, enabling accurate, apples-to-apples estimates without committing to a Silverback build.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 50% reduction in slamming with PETESTEP hull technology
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• California Air Resources Board (CARB)coreOthers · 31 October 2025Certified manufacturer under CARB Commercial Harbor Craft incentive program. Expanded eligibility and funding for vessel operators transitioning to zero-emission propulsion. Up to $1 million for newbuild zero-emission vessels, $250K-$1M for conversions, plus additional funding for high-capacity charging infrastructure.
• Photon MarinecoreTechnology or Integration · 9 July 2025Strategic partnership for electric propulsion integration. Eight electric workboat configurations approved featuring Photon's P300 electric outboard motor (300HP peak power) paired with Silverback's aluminum hulls. Marks first inclusion of electric outboard motor in CARB CORE Voucher Program. Combined incentives up to $400,000 per operator. Pricing as low as $77,000 after incentives.
• New York State Canal CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year evaluation of electric workboat on Erie Canal completed in 2025. 21-foot Silverback Marine hull powered by Photon Marine electric outboards tested for day-to-day canal operations. 200-mile endurance run from Buffalo to Syracuse completed with 30% charge remaining. NYPA advancing vessel electrification program with lease of another electric workboat for 2026 navigation season.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Willard Marine: Everett, WA builder of aluminum patrol and military boats with deep Department of Defense and federal agency relationships. Directly comparable Pacific Northwest aluminum patrol boat competitor serving similar law enforcement and government customers.
• SAFE Boats International: Port Townsend, WA-based builder of aluminum patrol, law enforcement, and military craft. Directly comparable product portfolio (aluminum patrol boats for government agencies), same Pacific Northwest manufacturing base, and overlapping customer base in federal/state/local maritime law enforcement.
• SeaArk Boats: North Little Rock, AR manufacturer of aluminum workboats, patrol boats, and Jon/utility craft for government and commercial markets. Comparable in aluminum patrol and utility product lines targeting law enforcement and municipal agencies.
• Armstrong Marine: Port Angeles, WA aluminum workboat builder serving government and commercial operators, including landing craft and patrol applications. Direct regional competitor in custom aluminum vessels for port authorities and law enforcement.
• Metal Shark Boats: Jeanerette, LA-based aluminum boat builder with a large government and commercial workboat portfolio, including patrol, fire, and crew boats. Closest scale competitor to Silverback in aluminum government vessels and a direct threat in multi-vessel agency bids.
• All American Marine: Bellingham, WA-based aluminum commercial vessel builder serving ferry, research, and government customers. Comparable in custom aluminum commercial craft and Pacific Northwest footprint, with overlapping pursuit of government and harbor authority contracts.

Broad incumbents

• Damen Shipyards: Global shipbuilder with a workboat and patrol vessel portfolio serving port authorities, coast guards, and emergency services. Overlaps with Silverback in government/municipal craft, especially as Damen expands electric and hybrid workboat offerings.
• Brunswick Commercial & Government Products: Brunswick Corporation division offering aluminum and fiberglass boats for commercial, government, and patrol applications. Larger incumbent with broader portfolio and established multi-agency relationships; overlaps with Silverback on patrol and utility vessel bids.

Emerging players

• Moose Boats: Vallejo, CA builder of small aluminum patrol and response boats for law enforcement, fire, and harbor patrol. Comparable mission focus (multi-agency first responder boats) and West Coast customer base, though at smaller scale than Silverback.

Regional players

• Stanley Boats: UK-based aluminum workboat builder specializing in pilot, patrol, and crew transfer vessels for port and government operators. Comparable in custom aluminum government workboats, though primarily serving UK/European customers rather than competing directly in North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLeKUMjOVeBpwPpwftZAwAA
• Facebookfacebook.com/silverback.marine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/silverback-marine
• Instagraminstagram.com/silverbackworkboats

Compliance3 records

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 Silverback Marine