What SER Ship Electronics Rostock does

SER Schiffselektronik Rostock GmbH is a German family-owned engineering company founded in 1948 and headquartered in Rostock, that designs, manufactures, and installs complete electrical and electronic systems for marine and industrial applications. Its product portfolio centers on four interlocking capabilities: (1) custom-engineered integrated bridge consoles and control stands, developed over five generations in cooperation with Sperry Marine; (2) low-voltage main switchboards and power distribution systems rated up to 6,000 A; (3) diesel-electric propulsion packages including PWM frequency converters (6/12/18/24-pulse and AFE configurations), propulsion motors, and the proprietary RCP 2000 remote control system; and (4) hybrid solutions integrating shore power, energy storage, and fuel cells. The company has equipped or retrofitted approximately 5,000 vessels operating under more than 50 flags, with a heavy footprint in cruise (AIDA, Royal Caribbean, Carnival), container shipping (Maersk), and naval (German F124 frigates, South African and Egyptian navies) segments.

The company monetizes primarily through project-based B2B hardware sales (newbuild equipment supply and installation) plus an attached aftermarket revenue stream covering spare parts, maintenance, and retrofitting guaranteed for 10+ years post-delivery. Pricing is custom and project-specific, determined by vessel requirements, system complexity, and scope of supply. Sales are conducted directly to shipowners, shipbuilders, and naval end customers through long-cycle enterprise relationships rather than outbound marketing, leveraging 75+ years of industry references. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the company has not raised external capital; it operates under Managing Directors Dr. sc. techn. Klaus Michelsen and Dipl.-Ing. Harald Michelsen. Quality systems are certified to ISO 9001:2015 by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance GmbH.

Name

SER Ship Electronics Rostock

Legal name

SER Schiffselektronik Rostock GmbH

Website

https://ser-schiffselektronik.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SER Schiffselektronik Rostock is a family-owned German marine systems integrator, founded 1948, that designs and installs integrated bridge consoles, switchboards, diesel-electric and hybrid propulsion systems, and remote controls for cruise ships, cargo vessels, naval craft, and industrial plants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Electrical and Electronic Systems

NAICS

Switchgear and Switchboard Apparatus Manufacturing (335313), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314), Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

SIC

Switchgear & Switchboard Apparatus (3613), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Marine Electrical Systems & Switchboards (IMAJAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electrical Engineering & Power Distribution (Generation, Switchboards, Cabling, Lighting) (IMAJAGAF), Marine Electrical Installation, Commissioning & Field Services (IMAJAJAL), Shipboard Electrical Distribution, Power Conversion & Automation (IMABAKAG), Propulsion, Power & Energy Systems Design (Diesel, Hybrid, Electric, Alternative Fuels) (IMAJAGAE), Propulsion Control, Monitoring & Automation (ECS, PMS interface) (IMAJAHAH)

Keywords

• Marine electrical systems
• Ship bridge consoles
• Main switchboards marine
• Diesel-electric propulsion
• Propulsion remote control

Headquarters

HQ city

Rostock

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

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. Equipment Supply and Installation: Design, supply, and installation of electrical and electronic equipment for ships, from engine room to bridge. Includes bridge consoles, switchgear, propulsion systems, and automation plants. Project-based revenue from shipbuilding contracts.
2. Service, Maintenance, and Repair: Comprehensive after-sales service including troubleshooting, repair, and maintenance. Includes worldwide service with short response times using own staff and partner firms. Guaranteed for 10+ years after delivery.
3. Retrofitting and Modernization: Product replacement, modernization, and complete refitting of ships. Addresses the large fleet of ships equipped 25-30 years ago that still operate.
4. Spare Parts Supply: Procurement and worldwide delivery of spare parts for supplied systems. Available for 10+ years post-delivery.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

SER Ship Electronics Rostock (SER Schiffselektronik Rostock GmbH) designs, manufactures, supplies, and installs electrical and electronic systems for the maritime and industrial sectors. Core offerings include main switchboards for shipboard power generation and distribution, integrated bridge consoles and control desks/stands, diesel-electric and hybrid propulsion systems, propulsion remote control (RCP 2000), automation plants, and industrial switchgear assembly, together with related service, retrofit, and THD power-grid simulation work.

Product overview

SER Schiffselektronik Rostock GmbH is a shipbuilding and industrial systems provider founded in 1948, headquartered in Rostock, Germany. The company operates as a family business under the leadership of Dr. Klaus Michelsen since 1996. Its flagship product line centers on custom-designed bridge consoles and integrated bridge systems, developed through a long-standing cooperation with Sperry Marine (now part of Charles River Associates). The product portfolio is organized around four core offerings: (1) Bridges Consoles Desk and Control Stands — integrated bridge systems including bridge control consoles, wing stations, safety cabinets, radio cabinets, chart tables, and engine control platforms; (2) Main Switchboards for power generation and distribution — low-voltage switchgear up to 6,000 A covering generator panels, consumer panels, motor control centers, and power management; (3) Diesel-Electric Propulsion Systems — complete propulsion packages including PWM converters (6- to 24-pulse and AFE), thruster motors, and remote control; (4) Hybrid Solutions — combining electric motors, inverters, energy storage, shore converters, solar input, and fuel cell support to replace auxiliary diesel generators. These core systems are complemented by the RCP2000 Propulsion Remote Control System (successor to the widely deployed AFA series), Automation Plants (machinery monitoring, temperature-controlled starters, stand-by controls), Switchgear Assembly for industrial applications (wind power, rolling mills, waterworks, automotive), and a THD Network Simulation service for harmonic analysis and classification approval. The company maintains ISO 9001:2015 certification through Lloyd's Register and has equipped approximately 5,000 vessels since its founding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Integrated Bridge Consoles and Control Desks / Stands Custom-engineered marine bridge consoles, control desks, and control stands for cruise ships, container vessels, tankers, naval ships, and other commercial ships. Designed in-house using 3D CAD and supplied as part of vessel newbuild or retrofit projects.
• Main Switchboards for Marine Power Generation and Distribution Main switchboards for shipboard power generation and distribution, supplied to shipowners, shipyards, and naval customers as part of newbuild or refurbishment projects.
• Diesel-Electric Propulsion Systems Engineered diesel-electric propulsion systems for ships, supplied as part of vessel newbuilds or propulsion retrofits, including associated electrical integration.
• Hybrid Propulsion Systems Hybrid (diesel-electric and battery/electric combination) propulsion systems for ships, designed for efficiency and emissions reduction, delivered as newbuild or retrofit projects.
• RCP 2000 Propulsion Remote Control System Proprietary propulsion remote control system used aboard ships for engine and propulsion control from the bridge and engine control rooms. Over 500 units delivered.
• Automation Plants for Ships and Industrial Plants Automation plants (control and monitoring systems) delivered to ships and to industrial plant operators as turnkey engineered packages.
• Industrial Switchgear Assembly Engineering, assembly, and supply of switchgear for industrial plants, leveraging the company's electrical competence beyond marine applications.
• THD Total Harmonic Distortion / Power-Grid Simulation Service Power-grid simulation and total harmonic distortion (THD) analysis services for shipboard and industrial electrical networks, supporting design verification and harmonic mitigation.
• Service, Maintenance, Repair, and Retrofit for Marine Systems Aftermarket and lifecycle service, maintenance, repair, and retrofit of marine electrical, electronic, propulsion, and bridge systems across the company's installed base of vessels.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000+ ships equipped and retrofitted since 1948, operating under 50+ flags
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Kongsberg Maritime: Kongsberg delivers integrated bridge, automation, propulsion, and hybrid power systems to cruise, offshore, and naval markets — competing head-to-head with SER while also bundling broader autonomy and digital solutions.
• ABB Marine & Ports: ABB provides electric propulsion, power distribution, and automation systems for ships, overlapping with SER's diesel-electric, hybrid, and switchboard offerings, but as part of a much broader industrial portfolio with global scale.
• Siemens Energy (Marine): Siemens Energy supplies marine electrical propulsion, drives, and power management (Siship / BlueDrive) and competes with SER on hybrid and diesel-electric systems, but as part of a much larger energy and electrification portfolio.
• Schneider Electric Marine: Schneider Electric offers switchgear, power distribution, and industrial control solutions including marine variants, competing with SER's main switchboard and industrial switchgear assembly product lines as part of a much broader electrical equipment portfolio.

Direct peers

• Wärtsilä Power Conversion: Wärtsilä's power conversion business delivers marine frequency converters, hybrid systems, and energy storage — directly overlapping with SER's diesel-electric, hybrid grid converter, and AFE offerings for thruster and main propulsion applications.
• Sperry Marine (Unicomm): Sperry Marine (Unicomm) supplies integrated bridge systems, navigation radars, and bridge consoles — directly comparable to SER's bridge product line, and notably an existing cooperation partner of SER for fifth-generation bridge consoles on cruise newbuilds.
• Praxis Automation Technology: Praxis supplies ship automation, alarm monitoring, and integrated bridge systems to commercial and naval customers, competing with SER on automation plants and bridge console scope in mid-size vessel and naval programs.
• Wärtsilä SAM Electronics (Voyage): Wärtsilä's marine voyage solutions (formerly SAM Electronics) supplies integrated bridge systems, navigation, automation, and propulsion control for cruise, cargo, and naval vessels — directly competing with SER's bridge console, automation, and propulsion control portfolio across the same shipyard customers.

Emerging players

• Navis Engineering: Navis specializes in dynamic positioning, joystick, and propulsion control systems for offshore and specialized vessels — a direct niche competitor to SER's RCP 2000 and integrated bridge thruster control systems in the offshore and special-purpose segments.
• Rhotheta (Thalassa Marine Electronics): Rhotheta/Thalassa provides marine navigation and bridge electronics for commercial and special-purpose vessels — an emerging European peer overlapping with SER's bridge console and integrated bridge portfolio, particularly for smaller tonnage.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ser.schiffselektronik
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ser-schiffselektronik-rostock

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 SER Ship Electronics Rostock