What VMS Shipping Group does

VMS Shipping Group is a privately held maritime services firm founded in 2012 in the Netherlands, providing ship management, vessel ownership administration, ship brokerage, and maritime LNG project solutions to fleet owners, individual ship owners, and operators primarily in Europe and the Middle East. Its service portfolio spans Ship Management Worldwide, an Ownership Fleet List offering expert vessel control, Registered Ship Brokerage facilitating vessel sales, Management Services for fleet and individual owners, and Solutions of Maritime LNG Projects covering LNG vessel procurement and fuel transition consulting; the company also holds exclusive rights as the official dealer of Turtle Propulsion products across the Middle East, adding a hardware distribution stream.

The company's go-to-market is enterprise direct sales, with "Ask for a quote" and "Package" calls-to-action on its website and global targeting of ship owners and operators, leveraging industry relationships and European shipyard partnerships built over more than a decade. Revenue is generated through managed services contracts, brokerage commissions on vessel transactions, professional services for LNG project work, and hardware sales from the Turtle Propulsion dealership, with all services sold on a quote-based, customized engagement basis rather than standardized pricing. A single large new build contract — a 6,000 BCM LNG tanker for Jongert & Bijlsma announced in 2024 — represents the most material disclosed commercial win to date and illustrates the company's move into LNG construction project execution.

Strategically, VMS has expanded from its initial inland shipping focus to serve all maritime sectors, established a regional headquarters in Dubai (Opus Tower A, Business Bay) in 2024 to anchor Middle East growth, and articulated a forward-looking vision to harness AI for operational optimization and safety enhancement — though no AI products, hires, or implementation details have been disclosed. The firm operates with 11–50 employees across its two offices, holds memberships in industry bodies such as BIMCO, and remains privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, patents, awards, or named senior leadership beyond Managing Director Erik van der Wiel.

Name

VMS Shipping Group

Legal name

VMS Shipping Group

Website

https://vmsshipping.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VMS Shipping Group is a Netherlands-headquartered maritime services firm founded in 2012 that provides ship management, vessel ownership services, ship brokerage, and LNG maritime project solutions to fleet and ship owners in Europe and the Middle East, recently expanded via a Dubai office.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Ship and Boat Building (3366)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Marine MRO Parts & Consumables Distribution (TLAKAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

LNG Carrier Operators (TLADABAF), Propulsion MRO, Spares & Field Service (Overhauls, retrofits, upgrades) (IMAJAHAN), General Cargo & Multipurpose Vessel (MPV) Shipbuilding (IMAJAAAH)

Keywords

• Ship management services
• Vessel brokerage services
• Maritime LNG solutions
• Fleet management services
• Ship ownership control

Headquarters

HQ city

Werkendam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ship Management Services: Full range of management services to fleet and individual ship owners, including operational oversight, maintenance, and regulatory compliance management.
2. Ship Brokerage: Facilitating all steps in the selling of vessels, earning commissions on transaction value.
3. Ship Ownership Services: Expert and trusted control of vessels for owners, providing administrative and operational management.
4. LNG Maritime Project Solutions: Specialized solutions for maritime LNG projects, including new build contracts for LNG vessels.
5. Propulsion Equipment Distribution: As official dealer of Turtle Propulsion products in Middle East, generating revenue through equipment sales and distribution.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

VMS Shipping Group provides a comprehensive range of maritime management services to fleet owners and individual ship owners, including worldwide ship management, vessel ownership control, registered ship brokerage (facilitating vessel sales), and solutions for maritime LNG projects. The company also operates as the official dealer of Turtle Propulsion marine propulsion equipment in the Middle East.

Product overview

VMS Shipping Group is a maritime services company offering an integrated suite of shipping solutions. The core portfolio includes Ship Management Worldwide, Ownership Fleet Management, Registered Ship Brokerage, Solutions of Maritime LNG Projects, and Management Services. The company also holds an official dealer position for Turtle Propulsion products in the Middle East. Founded in the Netherlands in 2012 with initial focus on inland shipping, the company has expanded to serve all sectors of the maritime industry and recently opened a new office in Dubai to support global expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ship Management Worldwide Comprehensive worldwide ship management services covering fleet operations and individual vessel management for ship owners.
• Registered Ship Brokerage Facilitating all steps in the selling of vessels, from listing to transaction completion, for ship owners and buyers.
• Ownership Fleet List Expert and trusted control of vessels for ownership clients, providing administrative and operational management of vessels.
• Solutions of Maritime LNG Projects Specialized solutions for maritime LNG projects, including new build contracts for LNG vessels and LNG fuel transition consulting for companies adopting LNG as marine fuel.
• Management Services Full range of management services offered to fleet and individual ship owners, including operational oversight, maintenance, regulatory compliance management, and crew administration.
• Turtle Propulsion Middle East (Official Dealer) Official dealer of Turtle Propulsion marine propulsion products in the Middle East region, providing distribution and sale of propulsion equipment to maritime customers.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Turtle Propulsion Middle EastcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVMS Shipping Group serves as the Official Dealer of Turtle Propulsion products in the Middle East region. This exclusive dealer relationship enables distribution and sale of Turtle Propulsion marine propulsion equipment to customers across the Middle East market.
• Jongert & BijlsmacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustomer-partner relationship where Jongert & Bijlsma has ordered a new 6,000 BCM LNG tanker from VMS Shipping Group, representing a significant new build contract for LNG maritime projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• MISC Berhad: Malaysian integrated maritime group and one of the world's largest LNG carrier operators. Broad incumbent because it operates LNG carriers — the same vessel type VMS is brokering new build contracts for.
• Goltens Worldwide: Global marine MRO provider offering engine and propulsion repair, retrofit, and field services. Broad incumbent because it overlaps with VMS's propulsion distribution activity through marine engine and propulsion services.
• Höegh LNG Partners: Norwegian-headquartered LNG carrier owner and operator focused on small-to-mid scale LNG transport and floating storage. Broad incumbent because it owns and operates LNG carriers, directly adjacent to VMS's LNG maritime project solutions.
• Kongsberg Maritime: Norwegian maritime technology company supplying ship management software, automation, navigation, and propulsion controls. Broad incumbent because it overlaps with VMS's AI-for-shipping vision and provides maritime digital infrastructure.
• Wärtsilä: Finnish marine technology major producing marine engines, propulsion systems, and lifecycle services. Broad incumbent because it competes with VMS's Turtle Propulsion distribution activity and offers ship management-adjacent digital and service solutions.

Direct peers

• Anglo-Eastern Univan Group: Major independent ship management group headquartered in Hong Kong, managing hundreds of vessels across technical and crew management. Direct peer for full-service ship management, the core service VMS advertises.
• OSM Maritime: Norwegian-headquartered ship management provider offering technical, crew, and offshore marine management services. Direct peer for ship management and offshore-related services comparable to VMS's offerings.
• Wallem Group: Hong Kong-based ship management and maritime services firm with global operations and an LNG carrier management franchise. Direct peer for ship management, brokerage, and LNG project services aligned with VMS's portfolio.
• V.Ships: World's largest independent ship management company, providing technical management, crew management, and commercial services to ship owners globally. Direct peer because VMS lists ship management as its primary service, and V.Ships operates the largest competing book.
• Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement: German-based ship management group offering technical, crew, and commercial management for a global vessel portfolio. Direct peer for the full-service ship management offering that anchors VMS's portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 VMS Shipping Group