LeeWay Marine

What LeeWay Marine does

LeeWay Marine Inc. is an Atlantic Canadian ship and vessel chartering and management company founded in 2015 by former Royal Canadian Navy professionals, headquartered in Bedford/Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The company owns and operates a specialized fleet ranging from a 7-meter nearshore craft (LeeWay Venture) to a 68-meter deep-sea research vessel (E/V Nautilus, under management), with notable assets including the world's fastest hydrographic patrol vessel (LeeWay Striker, 55+ knots), Canada's only SWATH research vessel (RV Novus), and one of the world's first commercially certified autonomous surface vessels (ASV Viper). Revenue is generated through four streams: vessel charter, vessel management (e.g., Ocean Exploration Trust's E/V Nautilus and Kraken Robotics' Ocean Seeker), multi-year government contracts (DND $8.9M NEXT-ECS, DFO $2.9M), and ancillary services (in-service support, deployed logistics). The customer base is heavily weighted toward Canadian federal government departments (Department of National Defence, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canadian Hydrographic Service) with growing commercial exposure to offshore wind developers (Vineyard Wind, Skipjack Wind) and ocean technology firms (Kraken Robotics, Zero USV).

The company's technical differentiation rests on (a) integrating advanced third-party sensor stacks — MarineAI GuardianAI for autonomy, Kraken SeaScout KATFISH synthetic aperture sonar with ML-based change detection, Kongsberg multibeam and echo-sounder systems — onto crewed and uncrewed platforms, and (b) operating the world's first Transport Canada-certified autonomous surface vessel (ASV Viper, 2025-10) under ISM Code compliance certified by DNV. LeeWay's go-to-market is exclusively B2B enterprise, with direct sales to government procurement bodies and commercial counterparties, complemented by an exclusive North American franchise for Zero USV's Oceanus12 USV fleet (2025-03) and a strategic Arctic Hydrographic Survey partnership with Sedna ROV Services and IIC Technologies (2026-05). Geographic reach spans six countries including the US offshore wind market and Western Pacific deep-sea exploration, with operational bases in Bedford and at the Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship (COVE) in Dartmouth.

Name

LeeWay Marine

Legal name

LeeWay Marine Inc.

Website

https://leewaymarine.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LeeWay Marine is an Atlantic Canadian ship and vessel chartering company founded in 2015 that owns and manages specialized vessels for ocean research, naval defence, hydrographic surveys, offshore wind support, and autonomous uncrewed operations, serving Canadian federal departments (DND, DFO, CHS) and commercial clients across six countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Vessel Chartering and Management

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (48839)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Government & Municipal Service Craft (Research, Survey, Inspection, Buoy Tenders) (IMAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Underwater Hull Inspection, Cleaning & Propeller Services (TLAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Marine vessel chartering
• Offshore ship management
• Hydrographic survey services
• Ocean technology testing
• Naval training support

Headquarters

HQ city

Dartmouth

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Vessel Charter Services: Charter of owned vessels (RV Novus, LeeWay Striker, LeeWay Odyssey, LeeWay Venture, ASV Viper) to clients for hydrographic survey, research, and defense support operations. Contracts range from individual charters to multi-year government contracts.
2. Vessel Management Services: Turn-key vessel management solutions for third-party vessel owners including technical oversight, crewing, regulatory compliance, and logistics. Currently manages E/V Nautilus for Ocean Exploration Trust and Ocean Seeker for Kraken Robotics.
3. Government Contracts: Multi-year contracts with Canadian government departments including DFO ($2.9M contract extension for RV Novus) and Department of National Defence ($8.9M platform testing contract). Primarily repayable funding through RDII program.
4. In-Service Support: Technical maintenance and repair services for Leeway-operated vessels and third-party fleets, including unplanned maintenance, mobile and deployed repairs, and engineering support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LeeWay Marine owns, operates, and manages a fleet of specialized vessels (ranging from 7m near-shore craft to 68m oceanographic research ships) and charters them to government and commercial clients for hydrographic survey, naval defence testing, offshore wind support, and ocean technology trials. The company also delivers turn-key vessel management services for third-party vessel owners (including crewing, regulatory compliance, technical maintenance, and logistics) and supports science expeditions and ocean data acquisition programs from bases in Nova Scotia.

Product overview

LeeWay Marine operates as an Atlantic Canadian ship and vessel chartering company offering a portfolio of specialized vessels and marine services. The core offering consists of vessel charter services (including owned fleet of ASV Viper, Leeway Striker, Leeway Odyssey, RV Novus, Leeway Venture, and managed vessels E/V Nautilus and Ocean Seeker) complemented by vessel management, hydrographic/geophysical survey, naval training, offshore wind support, ocean technology testing, science expeditions, sensor/data management, in-service support, and deployed logistics services. The company is expanding into autonomous maritime operations through its Serpent Class autonomous surface vessels and Zero USV Oceanus12 franchise partnership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vessel Charter Services Charter of LeeWay Marine's owned and operated fleet of specialized vessels (ASV Viper, RV Novus, Leeway Odyssey, Leeway Striker, Leeway Venture) to commercial and government clients for hydrographic survey, offshore wind, naval defence, and ocean research projects.
• Vessel Management Services Turn-key ship management solutions for third-party vessel owners including technical and operational oversight, preventative maintenance, regulatory compliance (ISM, ISPS, MLC), crewing, and logistics.
• Hydrographic & Geophysical Survey

Quantifiable outcome

• Day trips possible where large vessels require multi-day operations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Sedna ROV ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Arctic Hydrographic Survey Partnership for strengthening hydrographic survey capacity across the Canadian Arctic. Sedna, a 100% Inuit-owned company, became owner and operator of ASV Viper. Partnership combines Arctic operations expertise, autonomous survey assets, and hydrographic charting capabilities to support Canadian Hydrographic Service in mapping Canada's Arctic.
• IIC TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Arctic Hydrographic Survey Partnership providing survey planning, data processing, and nautical charting expertise aligned with IHO S-100 standard. IIC Technologies is a global leader in hydrographic and geospatial services with accredited training through IIC Academy (IHO-recognized S-5B and S-8B programs).
• Zero USVcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025First international franchisee for Zero USV's Oceanus12 charter fleet in North America. Leeway offers Oceanus12 USV for charter throughout Canada and wider North American region. Zero USV provides cutting-edge autonomous surface vessel technology while Leeway contributes local expertise in Canadian waters and maritime operations.
• Ocean Exploration TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Leeway Marine appointed as vessel manager for E/V Nautilus, a 68-meter oceanographic research vessel owned and operated by OET (founded by Dr. Robert Ballard). Leeway responsible for crewing, technical support, and operational planning for deep-sea exploration expeditions including missions to Guam, Republic of Marshall Islands, and Solomon Islands.
• Royal Canadian Geographical SocietysecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Partnership for successful search for Sir Ernest Shackleton's Quest. RCGS team used sophisticated side scan sonar deployed from Leeway Odyssey to positively identify the wreck in the Labrador Sea.
• Marine Institute at Memorial UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Partnership for Shackleton's Quest search expedition alongside RCGS and Miawpukek Horizon marine and survey management services.
• Waterford Energy ServicessecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2022Collaboration to bring hydrogen fuel supply to Atlantic Canada for marine applications. LeeWay contributes expertise in shipboard systems, retrofit strategies, propulsion and fuel system conversion. WESI brings knowledge in renewable energy projects including hydrogen and offshore wind. Phase 1 Pilot E-FEED commenced with strategic locations identified for shore-based hydrogen fuel supplies.
• A.F. Theriault & Son Ltd.secondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 August 2021Nova Scotia shipyard partnership for vessel refit and preparation. RV Novus refit included installation of Kongsberg 2040-04 multibeam sonar and EK80 echo-sounder.
• Kraken RoboticscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2018Partnership for integration of Kraken's SeaScout synthetic aperture sonar system (KATFISH, TENTACLE winch) on LeeWay vessels. Successfully completed trials validating high-speed towing, sea state performance, and high-resolution imagery. Partnership enables advanced seabed surveys accessible to more organizations.
• Kraken Robotics (Ocean Seeker)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVessel management partnership for Ocean Seeker, a 20-metre aluminum research vessel owned by Kraken. Leeway provides crewing and operational management for the vessel configured for KATFISH towed sonar systems testing and available for charter.
• MarineAIcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of GuardianAI autonomous software powering ASV Viper. MarineAI creates cognitive AI for maritime capabilities drawing on decades of experience in autonomous marine vehicle design and operations. Same software used for Mayflower 400 transatlantic voyage.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• DOF Subsea: Norwegian offshore vessel operator providing subsea IMR, survey, and construction support globally. Comparable to LeeWay's charter, vessel management, and offshore project delivery model for survey and inspection campaigns.
• Ocean Infinity: Pioneer in autonomous marine operations, running fleets of uncrewed surface and sub-surface vessels for survey and inspection. Most directly comparable to LeeWay on the autonomous surface vessel go-to-market, particularly through LeeWay's Zero USV franchise and ASV Viper operations.
• MMA Offshore: Australia-listed offshore support vessel company with a global footprint in vessel charter and offshore services. Closely comparable to LeeWay's business model of diversified charter, vessel management, and offshore project support.
• Bourbon Corporation: French offshore vessel operator with deep offshore marine services franchise. Comparable as a peer in offshore vessel charter and integrated marine services, with similar customer profiles in energy and government sectors.
• Mid-Shore Offshore Services: Atlantic Canada offshore vessel operator providing crew transfer, survey, and support vessels for offshore energy markets. Closely comparable in size, geography, and customer mix to LeeWay's charter and offshore wind support operations.

Broad incumbents

• Tidewater Inc. NYSE-listed global owner of one of the largest offshore support vessel fleets. Comparable as a peer in vessel charter operations, though Tidewater's focus is primarily oil & gas OSVs rather than the government/research/defence mix LeeWay pursues.
• RPS Group (Tetra Tech): UK-headquartered consultancy acquired by Tetra Tech that provides hydrographic, geophysical, and oceanographic survey services. Comparable to LeeWay's hydrographic and geophysical survey charter work, with deeper data and consulting capabilities.
• Fugro: Dutch-headquartered global leader in offshore geotechnical and hydrographic surveys. Comparable as a provider of survey vessels, subsea data acquisition, and offshore wind site characterization services — overlapping with LeeWay's hydrographic and offshore wind survey work but at much larger scale.

Regional players

• Saam S.A. Chilean maritime services company providing vessel charter, towage, and port logistics across the Americas. Comparable to LeeWay's vessel charter and management business, with focus on regional/Atlantic maritime corridors similar to LeeWay's Atlantic Canadian base.

Others

• Kraken Robotics: Canadian marine technology company producing synthetic aperture sonar systems (KATFISH, SeaScout) — a key integration partner for LeeWay. Comparable as a peer in delivering subsea survey solutions and a frequent counterparty on joint survey campaigns.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/leewaymarine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leewaymarine
• Facebookfacebook.com/leewaymarine2015

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 LeeWay Marine