Waterbus
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersKisumu, Kenya
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Waterbus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Waterbus
- Legal name
- Globology Limited
- Website
- https://waterbus.online
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Waterbus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Passenger Ferry Services
- NAICS
- Water Transportation (483), Ship and Boat Building (3366), Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114)
- SIC
- Water Transportation (4400), Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)
- akta.pro primary industry
- High-Speed Passenger Ferry Operators (TLAFALAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Passenger Catamaran Operators (TLAFALAE), High-Speed Catamaran & Fast Ferry Services (THAEAGAD), Passenger Ferries & Water Taxis (Fast Ferries, RoPax, Catamarans) (IMAJADAC)
Keywords
Where Waterbus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kisumu
- HQ country
- Kenya
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Waterbus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Passenger Ferry Services: Waterbus operates scheduled ferry routes between islands and mainland towns, providing passenger transportation with 8 trips per day on main routes. Passengers pay per trip for insured journeys on modern catamaran ferries.
- Charter Services: Special trip charter services available for private ferry hire, offering customized water transportation for groups or special occasions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard passenger fares for scheduled routes |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Waterbus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Waterbus builds and operates modern catamaran ferries for safe, insured passenger transportation across Lake Victoria, connecting island communities to mainland towns in Kenya. The company designs and constructs the vessels at its own Globology Shipyard in Kisumu, partnering with Dykstra Naval Architects, and runs scheduled daily routes plus charter services as an alternative to unsafe wooden canoes.
Product overview
Waterbus is a Kenyan-based ferry manufacturer and operator providing safe and sustainable water transportation on Lake Victoria. The company operates a fleet of modern catamaran ferries including the MV Koome and a solar-propelled vessel, serving scheduled routes between islands and mainland communities (Luanda Kotieno-Mbita, Mbita-Mfangano) with 8 and 4 daily trips respectively. WaterBus offers insured, reliable passenger transportation as an alternative to traditional wooden canoes, with charter services available for private hire.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Scheduled Passenger Ferry Routes Regularly scheduled catamaran ferry services connecting Lake Victoria islands to mainland towns, including Luanda Kotieno-Mbita (8 trips/day), Mbita-Mfangano (4 trips/day), and Kisumu-Kendu Bay routes, transporting approximately 1,000 passengers daily across 11 communities. Targeted at individual commuters, island residents, and rural travelers needing access to markets, healthcare, and government services.
- WaterBus Charter Service
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% reduction in hydrocarbons per passenger per hour compared to traditional two-stroke outboard engines
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Waterbus
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Waterbus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Waterbus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Dykstra Naval ArchitectscoreWaterbus vessels are built in partnership with award winning global experts from Dykstra Naval architects. This partnership provides design expertise for the catamaran ferry construction at the Globology shipyard in Kisumu, Kenya.
- Globology LimitedcoreGlobology Limited is the mother company of Waterbus. Founded in 2005 by Malcolm Ormiston, Globology operates the Waterbus ferry services and owns the shipyard in Kisumu that constructs the catamaran vessels. The first WaterBus vessel started working in 2010.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Waterbus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Austal: Australian-listed builder of high-speed aluminum catamaran ferries and naval vessels, supplying passenger and vehicle ferry operators globally. Comparable in vessel type (high-speed passenger catamarans) and target customer profile (commercial ferry operators).
- Incat: Australia-based world leader in aluminum catamaran ferry design and construction for commercial passenger operators. Directly comparable to Waterbus/Globology's in-house catamaran shipyard in Kisumu and the company's high-speed passenger ferry focus.
- Brødrene Aa: Norwegian builder specializing in carbon-fiber and composite fast ferries for passenger transport. Comparable as a niche, design-led fast ferry builder serving passenger operators, similar in scale and craft focus to the Globology shipyard.
- Wight Shipyard Co: UK-based builder of low-emission passenger ferries, including hybrid and hydrogen vessels for urban and regional waterways. Comparable in mission (sustainable passenger ferries) and target market (passenger ferry operators), with overlap on the green-propulsion angle.
Broad incumbents
- Damen Shipyards Group: Large Dutch shipbuilding group with a comprehensive portfolio including passenger ferries, workboats, and fast ferries. Comparable as a broad incumbent building the type of vessels Waterbus constructs, though operating across many vessel categories rather than specializing in catamarans.
Emerging players
- Boundary Layer Technologies: European startup building hydrofoil container barges and electric vessels for inland waterways. Comparable as an emerging technology company targeting decarbonized inland water transport, though focused on cargo rather than passengers.
- Artemis Technologies: Northern Ireland-based developer of high-speed zero-emission foiling ferries using hydrofoils and electric propulsion. Comparable in mission (zero-emission passenger ferries) and adjacent in vessel type, though focused on hydrofoils rather than catamarans.
- Candela Technology: Swedish maker of electric hydrofoil passenger vessels targeting urban and regional waterborne transit. Comparable as an emerging sustainable passenger ferry company, though using different hull technology (foils vs. catamarans).
Regional players
- Tanzania Railways Corporation Marine Services: Operates the historic MV Liemba and other passenger/cargo vessels on Lake Tanganyika, with cross-border presence in the same East African Great Lakes region. Comparable as a state-affiliated inland-water passenger operator in East Africa.
- Kenya Ferry Services: State-owned ferry operator managing the Likoni and Mtongwe crossings in coastal Kenya. Comparable as a Kenyan passenger ferry operator, though serving a different waterway (Mombasa channel vs. Lake Victoria) and competing in the same regulatory environment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Waterbus social profiles
Digital presenceWaterbus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Waterbus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Waterbus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Waterbus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Waterbus
What does Waterbus do?
Waterbus builds and operates modern catamaran ferries for safe, insured passenger transportation across Lake Victoria, connecting island communities to mainland towns in Kenya. The company designs and constructs the vessels at its own Globology Shipyard in Kisumu, partnering with Dykstra Naval Architects, and runs scheduled daily routes plus charter services as an alternative to unsafe wooden canoes.
Is Waterbus a public or private company?
Waterbus is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Waterbus founded?
Waterbus was founded in 2005. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Waterbus based?
Waterbus is headquartered in Kisumu, Kenya, in the Africa region.
How does Waterbus make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Passenger Ferry Services are the primary driver. The others are charter Services.
Who are Waterbus's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Austal, Incat, Brødrene Aa and Wight Shipyard Co. Damen Shipyards Group is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Boundary Layer Technologies, Artemis Technologies and Candela Technology. Regional players are Tanzania Railways Corporation Marine Services and Kenya Ferry Services.
Does Waterbus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Waterbus.
What industry is Waterbus in?
Waterbus's product category is Passenger Ferry Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAFALAC, High-Speed Passenger Ferry Operators, with a secondary code of TLAFALAE, Passenger Catamaran Operators. Its NAICS code is 483 and its SIC code is 4400.