Carmelo Caruana

What Carmelo Caruana does

Carmelo Caruana Company Limited is a Maltese integrated maritime and logistics services provider founded in 1923, headquartered in Marsa, Malta, and operating as part of Breakwater Investments Limited — the engineering, shipping & logistics, and oil & gas arm of Hili Ventures Limited. The company delivers six core service lines: Ship Agency (port husbandry, yacht and cruise agency, drydock coordination), Freight Forwarding (air, sea, and road transport with customs clearance), Logistics Hub & Free Zone Warehousing (bonded storage at Malta Freeport and near Malta International Airport with 24/7 security), Ship-to-Ship (STS) Operations (offshore cargo transfers and bunker supply), Oil & Gas Logistics (offshore support, crew handling, launch boat services), and Last Mile Delivery (FedEx subcontractor across Malta). Operations span four Mediterranean jurisdictions — Malta, Gibraltar, Sicily (Augusta), and Cyprus — supported by owned STS equipment via a partnership with UK-based sister company STS Marine Solutions and a network of European haulage partners.

The company's commercial model is B2B enterprise, with revenue generated from ship agency fees, STS transaction fees, freight forwarding charges, warehousing and handling fees, specialized oil & gas logistics fees, and per-delivery last-mile fees. Pricing is quote-based and tailored per vessel operation, shipment, or contract. The customer base includes shipping lines (notably CMA CGM, with approximately 2,000 vessel calls managed annually), oil & gas operators, cruise liners, superyacht owners, freight operators and importers/exporters, trading companies using the Free Trade Zone, and global courier brands (FedEx). ISO 9001 quality management certification (UKAS accredited) and compliance with ISGOTT, MARPOL, and OCIMF standards underpin the regulatory and safety posture.

The company is wholly owned by Breakwater Investments Limited, which is itself part of Hili Ventures Limited, a diversified Maltese group operating across food service and retail, real estate and hospitality, shipping and logistics, engineering, and technology sectors in over 10 countries. Carmelo Caruana transitioned to Breakwater Investments in 2023 during its centenary and appointed a new Managing Director in January 2024, followed by an active hiring phase in 2024-2025 across warehouse, freight forwarding, finance, and business development functions to support capability-led growth.

Name

Carmelo Caruana

Legal name

Carmelo Caruana Company Limited

Website

https://carmelocaruana.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Carmelo Caruana Company Limited is a Maltese integrated maritime and logistics provider founded in 1923, offering ship agency, ship-to-ship operations, freight forwarding, Free Trade Zone warehousing, oil & gas logistics, and last-mile delivery to shipping lines, energy operators, and traders across the Mediterranean.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Logistics Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Marine Cargo Handling (488320), Port and Harbor Operations (488310)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Water Transportation (4400), Public Warehousing & Storage (4220)

akta.pro primary industry

Stevedoring & Vessel Loading/Discharging (Ship-to-Shore Operations) (TLAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Terminal Cargo Handling & Yard Operations (Receiving, Staging, Delivery) (TLAHALAB), Breakbulk & Project Cargo Handling (Heavy Lift, Out-of-Gauge Handling) (TLAHALAH), Crew, Marine & Offshore Travel Management (THAKACAF)

Keywords

• Maritime logistics services
• Ship agency operations
• Ship-to-ship transfers
• Freight forwarding solutions
• Oil and gas logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Marsaskala

HQ country

Malta

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ship Agency Services: Port arrival to departure agency support including husbandry services, drydocking coordination, crew handling, customs clearance for vessels calling Maltese ports or offshore. Revenue from agency fees and service charges.
2. Ship-to-Ship Operations: STS transfers for crude oil, LNG, LPG, and clean products. Bunker supply services. Revenue from per-operation fees and service coordination charges.
3. Freight Forwarding: Air, sea, road freight services with customs clearance. Multimodal logistics coordination. Revenue from freight fees and coordination services.
4. Logistics Hub & Warehousing: Storage services in Malta Free Trade Zone, container handling, stuffing/cross-stuffing, packing, labelling, crating. Revenue from storage and handling fees.
5. Oil & Gas Logistics: Vessel shuttle coordination, offshore support, crew changes, husbandry services for energy sector. Revenue from specialized logistics service fees.
6. Last Mile Delivery: Final delivery of parcels across Malta as FedEx subcontractor. Revenue from per-delivery fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Carmelo Caruana Company Limited provides integrated maritime and logistics services across the Mediterranean, including ship agency (husbandry, yacht agency, cruise support, drydock coordination), multimodal freight forwarding (air, sea, road), bonded free trade zone warehousing, ship-to-ship (STS) cargo transfer operations for crude oil, LNG, LPG, and clean products, specialised oil and gas offshore logistics, and last-mile courier delivery across Malta as a FedEx subcontractor.

Product overview

Carmelo Caruana Company Limited operates as an integrated maritime and logistics services provider offering a portfolio of six core service lines: Ship Agency (covering maritime husbandry, yacht agency, cruise services, and drydock coordination), Freight Forwarding (air, sea, and road transport plus customs clearance), Logistics Hub & Free Zone Warehousing (bonded storage and 3PL services), Ship-to-Ship Operations (STS transfers and bunker supply), Oil & Gas Logistics (offshore support), and Last Mile Delivery Services (FedEx subcontractor in Malta). The company is structured as a services-based business rather than a software product, with operations spanning ports in Malta, Gibraltar, Sicily, and Cyprus. Founded in 1923 and part of Breakwater Investments/Hili Ventures, the company emphasises end-to-end logistics solutions, regulatory compliance, and 24/7 operational support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ship Agency Comprehensive ship agency support for vessels calling Maltese ports or offshore, covering maritime husbandry, yacht agency, cruise and passenger services, and drydock/repair coordination. Serves cargo carriers, tankers, cruise liners, ferries, and offshore support vessels.
• Freight Forwarding Multimodal freight forwarding solutions including air freight, sea freight, road haulage, customs clearance, and project cargo handling across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
• Logistics Hub and Free Zone Warehousing Flexible warehousing solutions in Malta's Free Trade Zone offering indoor, outdoor, and cold storage for sea and air cargo with 24/7 security, customs clearance, packing, labelling, crating, and third-party logistics services.
• Ship-to-Ship Operations Ship-to-ship transfer services for crude oil, LNG, LPG, and clean products, including bunker supply and STS coordination across Mediterranean ports in Malta, Gibraltar, Sicily, and Cyprus. Capable of handling vessels from 5,000 SDWT to VLCC class.
• Oil and Gas Logistics Specialised logistics support for offshore and energy operations including vessel shuttle coordination, crew handling, shore-based manpower deployment, launch boat services, and customs clearance for energy sector clients.
• Last Mile Delivery Services Courier delivery services across Malta as a FedEx subcontractor, handling parcel delivery to homes, offices, and businesses with real-time route management and professional uniformed fleet.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 2,000 vessel calls managed annually through CMA CGM partnership
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• STS Marine SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based sister company. Partnership for ownership and operation of STS equipment in Malta. Enables conduct of multiple simultaneous STS operations from 5,000 SDWT to VLCC class vessels. Collaboration extends to Gibraltar with vapour balancing innovations.
• CMA CGMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor shipping line partnership. Agreement brought approximately 2,000 vessel calls under company management each year, reinforcing company's role as trusted agency in Mediterranean region.
• FedExcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFedEx subcontractor for last-mile delivery services in Malta. Company handles final stage of delivery process following FedEx international standards for handling, tracking, and delivery.
• Malta FreeportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWarehouse facilities located at Malta Freeport and bonded warehouses near the Freeport. Strategic location for trans-shipment cargo and multimodal logistics operations.
• European Haulage PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtensive network of European haulage partners for road freight services. Enables pan-European coverage and seamless port-to-inland destination transport.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Vopak: Global tank storage and terminal operator with STS-adjacent infrastructure for crude, chemicals, and LNG. Relevant peer given Carmelo Caruana's STS crude/LNG/LPG transfer capability and its ownership ties to STS Marine Solutions.
• Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding ASA: Global maritime industry group spanning ship agency, port services, and logistics. Comparable as a broad incumbent in maritime services with Mediterranean and STS-adjacent capabilities, but operating a much wider portfolio.
• Crowley Maritime Corporation: U.S.-headquartered maritime, logistics, and energy services company with ship agency, STS, and logistics capabilities. Comparable as a broader incumbent in maritime services with overlapping vessel handling and energy logistics.

Direct peers

• Inchcape Shipping Services: One of the world's largest maritime services and ship agency groups with Mediterranean operations, covering vessel agency, husbandry, bunker coordination, and STS-related port services — overlapping directly with Carmelo Caruana's core offerings.
• GAC Group: Global ship agency and maritime services provider offering port agency, husbandry, STS coordination, freight forwarding, and warehousing. Closely comparable to Carmelo Caruana across nearly every service line, with a Mediterranean hub presence.
• Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement: International ship management and maritime services group offering ship agency, port call support, and crew services — directly comparable to the ship agency and husbandry core of Carmelo Caruana.

Regional players

• Grimaldi Group: Italian-headquartered shipping group operating ro-ro, container, and cruise ferry services in the Mediterranean. Comparable as a regional Mediterranean operator with port-call and shipping-service overlap.

Others

• Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC): World's largest container line headquartered in Geneva with deep Mediterranean roots. Comparable as a Mediterranean-domiciled maritime ecosystem participant, and adjacent given its potential as both customer and competitor in vessel calls.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carmelo-caruana
• Facebookfacebook.com/carmelocaruanacoltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Carmelo Caruana