Shipping Cooperative Greifensee

What Shipping Cooperative Greifensee does

Schifffahrts-Genossenschaft Greifensee (SGG) is a Swiss cooperative, founded in 1890 and reorganised under cooperative law in 1941, that operates scheduled and charter passenger ferry services on Lake Greifensee in Canton Zürich. The company owns and operates three vessels — the 200-passenger MS Stadt Uster, the 60-passenger MS David Herrliberger, and the 60-passenger e-MS Heimat (the first fully electric scheduled passenger ferry in German-speaking Switzerland, launched 2022) — and additionally coordinates bookings for the historic DS Greif steamship (1895), which is owned and operated by a separate foundation. Service runs across five landing stages (Maur, Fällanden, Greifensee, Uster, Mönchaltorf), with the Maur–Uster route integrated into the ZVV public transport tariff system and SBB distribution rails.

SGG runs roughly 7,700 trips per year carrying approximately 60,000 passengers, operating Tuesday through Sunday on a seasonal schedule. Revenue is generated through scheduled public-transport tickets (CHF 34–71 adult fares), private charters (weddings, corporate events, group outings), themed culinary cruises delivered with catering partners, gift certificates, cooperative share subscriptions (CHF 200 per share), and a "Friend*in der SGG" supporter tier (CHF 600–1,500). The cooperative has approximately 1,800 members and is staffed by 4 full-time and 35 part-time employees. Key institutional partners include ZVV, SBB, Bank BSU, Energie Uster, Shiptec AG, and the federal BAV (Federal Office of Transport), the last of which approved the e-MS Heimat electrification project.

Name

Shipping Cooperative Greifensee

Legal name

Schifffahrts-Genossenschaft Greifensee (SGG)

Website

https://sgg-greifensee.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Schifffahrts-Genossenschaft Greifensee (SGG) is a 135-year-old Swiss cooperative operating passenger ferry services on Lake Greifensee in Canton Zürich with three owned vessels (including the e-MS Heimat, the first fully electric scheduled ferry in German-speaking Switzerland) serving commuters, tourists, and private event clients across five landing stages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passenger Ferry and Lake Tourism Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury Sailing Cruises (Windjammers & Tall Ships) (THAEADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (Under ~500 Guests) (THAEADAC)

Keywords

• Passenger ferry services
• Lake transportation
• Culinary cruise experiences
• Private vessel charter
• Historic steamship tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Maur

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Passenger Transportation & Events: Revenue comes from multiple streams: public ticket sales for scheduled tours and culinary cruises, private vessel charters for events (weddings, birthdays, corporate events), catering services, gift certificate sales, and cooperative membership fees. The ZVV commuter route (Maur-Uster) provides regular public transport revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Schifffahrts-Genossenschaft Greifensee (SGG) operates passenger ferry and cruise services on Lake Greifensee in Canton Zürich, Switzerland. The cooperative runs scheduled public-transport Kursschiff service on the ZVV route between Maur and Uster (via the fully electric e-MS Heimat), scenic Rundfahrten (circular tours), private vessel charters for events and celebrations, and a calendar of themed culinary and experience cruises such as Pasta Schiff, BBQ-Schiff, Wine & Dine, Brunch and Sunset cruises, plus weddings and corporate events.

Product overview

The Schifffahrts-Genossenschaft Greifensee (SGG) operates a fleet-based service for lake transportation and tourism on Lake Greifensee, Switzerland. The fleet consists of four vessels: MS Stadt Uster (200 passengers, 1995) and MS David Herrliberger (60 passengers, 2006) as the primary event and dining vessels; e-MS Heimat (60 passengers, originally 1933, electrified 2022) as the first fully electric course ship in German-speaking Switzerland operating on the ZVV public transport route; and DS Greif (24 passengers, 1895), a historic coal-fired steamship operated by a separate foundation but with charter coordination by SGG. The company offers three core service lines: (1) Kursschiff scheduled course service on the ZVV network between Maur and Uster; (2) Rundfahrten scenic circular tours; and (3) Schiffsmiete private vessel charters for events including weddings, corporate functions, and themed culinary cruises such as Pasta Schiff, BBQ-Schiff, Wine & Dine series, Brunch, and Zmorge-Schiff breakfast cruises. Additional offerings include cooperative membership shares, gift vouchers, friend memberships, and catering partner services. With approximately 1,800 cooperative members, 60,000 annual passengers, and 7,700 yearly trips across 5 landing stages (Maur, Fällanden, Greifensee, Uster, Mönchaltorf), the company was founded in 1890 and maintains an over 135-year operational history.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• e-MS Heimat: The fully electrified former Motorschiff Heimat, in operation since April 2022 as the first fully electric scheduled passenger ship in German-speaking Switzerland.
• DS Greif (Dampfschiff Greif)
• MS Stadt Uster
• MS David Herrliberger

Products and services

• Rundfahrten (Scenic Circular Tours) Scenic circular cruises on Lake Greifensee departing Tuesday to Sunday, serving leisure visitors with lake tourism and recreational experiences.
• Kursschiff (Scheduled ZVV Ferry Service) Scheduled public transport ferry service on the ZVV route between Maur and Uster across Lake Greifensee, operated by the e-MS Heimat, accepting ZVV tickets and passes and integrated with the regional public transit network.
• Schiffsmiete (Private Vessel Charter) Private charter of SGG vessels for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, corporate events, team outings, workshops, seminars and association meetings, departing from Maur, Greifensee, Uster, Fällanden or Mönchaltorf.
• Kulinarische-/Erlebnisfahrten (Culinary and Experience Cruises) Themed dining and experience cruises such as Pasta Schiff, Tatar-Schiff, Zmorge-Schiff, BBQ-Schiff, Sunset Cruise, Wine & Dine, Brunch and special-event dinners, using MS Stadt Uster or MS David Herrliberger.
• Hochzeiten (Wedding Packages) Wedding ceremonies and receptions on Lake Greifensee, with apéro cruises departing from the pier next to Schloss Greifensee and customizable dining and beverage packages.
• Sommerapéro (Summer Apéro Cruise) 90-minute summer apéro cruise on MS David Herrliberger including beverages (white wine, Prosecco, mineral water) and apéro snacks, for groups of 20 to 40 persons.
• Catering Partner Services (La Pentola d'Argento, Mein Catering) External catering services provided by La Pentola d'Argento and Mein Catering for ship charters on MS Stadt Uster (up to 74 dining seats) and MS David Herrliberger (up to 42 dining seats) with heated saloons.
• SGG Gutscheine (Gift Vouchers) Gift vouchers redeemable against cruises, experience rides or other SGG services, available in denominations from CHF 10 to CHF 1,500 and valid for two seasons after purchase.
• Freund*in der SGG (Friend Membership) Annual subscription membership tiers — Matrose CHF 600, Offizier CHF 990, Kapitän CHF 1,500 — providing exclusive offers, events and community support for Lake Greifensee preservation.
• Genossenschafts-Anteilscheine (Cooperative Membership Shares) Cooperative membership shares priced at CHF 200 each, granting participation rights at the General Assembly, an annual complimentary round-trip ticket valid for two seasons and voting rights on cooperative matters.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~60,000 passengers transported annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered main partner, core and minor.

• Energie Ustermain partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy company supporting SGG operations and the e-MS Heimat electrification project as both sponsor and energy provider.
• ZVV (Zürcher Verkehrsverbund)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional public transport authority integrating SGG's e-MS Heimat into the ZVV route network for commuter services between Maur and Uster.
• SBB (Schweizerische Bundesbahnen)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss Federal Railways partnership for integrated public transport connections.
• VSSU (Verband öffentlicher Verkehr)minorOthersSwiss Public Transport Association member providing industry representation and standards.
• Stiftung zum Betrieb des Dampfschiffes GreifcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation owning the DS Greif steamship. SGG coordinates ship rentals for this historic vessel. The ship is the oldest coal-fired steamship in Swiss public passenger transport.
• La Pentola d'ArgentocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium catering partner providing exclusive culinary offerings for events and cruises on the SGG fleet.
• Mein CateringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatering partner for events, providing customizable menu options for private charters and special occasions.
• Shiptec AG (Luzerner Werft)coreTechnology or IntegrationShipyard in Lucerne that performed the e-MS Heimat electrification conversion, including battery system installation and propulsion upgrades.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BLS Schifffahrt: Operates passenger shipping on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz with scheduled courses, scenic tours, and culinary/event cruises. Closely comparable in service model and Swiss lake operational context.
• BSG (Bielersee-Schifffahrts-Gesellschaft): Operates scheduled passenger ferries and culinary cruises on Lake Biel in Canton Bern, with similar service lines (Kursschiff, Rundfahrten, event charters) to SGG.
• SGV (Schifffahrtsgesellschaft des Vierwaldstättersees): Operates scheduled passenger ferries, scenic tours, and culinary cruises on Lake Lucerne, the largest and most prominent Swiss lake operator. Closely comparable in service mix (Kursschiff, Rundfahrten, culinary cruises, charter) and fleet size, though at much larger scale and multiple vessels.
• URh (Schifffahrt Untersee und Rhein): Operates passenger shipping on the Untersee and High Rhine between Schaffhausen and Konstanz, including scheduled courses, scenic tours, and event cruises. Comparable in offering and inland-waterway passenger transport focus.
• CGN (Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman): Operates scheduled and tourist cruises on Lake Geneva, including Belle Époque paddle steamers. Directly comparable as a Swiss lake passenger ferry operator combining commuter service, scenic tours, culinary cruises, and historic heritage vessels.

Others

• Shiptec AG: Swiss shipyard that performed the e-MS Heimat electrification conversion. An ecosystem enabler and partner, not a competitor, but adjacent given deep involvement in SGG's fleet modernization.
• Stiftung Dampfschiff Greif: Owns the DS Greif historic steamship used by SGG for heritage charters. A foundation partner rather than direct competitor, but adjacent given shared operational model and steam heritage vessel management.

Broad incumbents

• ZSG (Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft): Operates the largest Swiss lake passenger fleet on Lake Zurich with scheduled courses, scenic tours, and event charters. A larger, established operator in the same Canton Zürich region with overlapping offerings.
• SBS (Schweizerische Bodensee-Schifffahrt): Operates passenger and car ferries on Lake Constance (Bodensee). A much larger established operator with comparable scheduled and tourist services on an inland European lake.

Regional players

• Schifffahrt Giessensee: Operates small passenger cruises on Lake Giessen in Austria. Smaller-scale comparable operator focused on regional lake tours and charters.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/schifffahrtsgenossenschaftgreifensee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schifffahrts-genossenschaft-greifensee
• Instagraminstagram.com/sgg_greifensee

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 Shipping Cooperative Greifensee