Dese Crew Management

What Dese Crew Management does

DESE Crew Management is a privately held Turkish crew manning agency founded in 2015 that provides end-to-end crewing services to international shipowners and ship management companies. The company recruits, trains, deploys, and manages multi-national seafarer crews for vessel types spanning dry bulk carriers, tankers, container ships, LNG/LPG carriers, offshore assets, and Ro-Ro vessels. DESE manages over 3,000 seafarers deployed across more than 100 vessels worldwide and operates wholly-owned local offices in 10 countries — Turkey (Istanbul, Izmir), Greece (Athens), Ukraine (Odesa), UAE (Dubai), Egypt (Damietta), Vietnam (Hai Phong), Sri Lanka (Colombo), Myanmar (Yangon), Indonesia (Jakarta, Bali), and the Philippines (Manila).

The company runs an integrated service portfolio covering core crew management plus adjacent offerings: crew training (via an in-house DESE Crew Training platform and integrations with SQLearn and Maritime Trainer), crew payroll, flag endorsements across 20+ flag states, PPE and provision supply, pre-inspection services with a zero-deficiency guarantee, crew travel and visa management, ship delivery crew supply, technical workforce supply for shipyards and drydocks, and in-house maritime legal services. Its revenue model is primarily recurring contractual crew management fees charged to shipowners, supplemented by lump-sum ship delivery projects, professional services for shipyard workforce supply, and ancillary travel/provision/flag fees. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales through the global office network, with client acquisition driven by crewing audits, industry reputation, and referrals — there are no reseller or marketplace channels. Pricing is custom per vessel (based on GRT, flag, trade area, crew nationality), and contracts are multi-year. Customers include several of the world's largest ship managers (Anglo-Eastern, Fleet Management, Synergy Marine Group, Bahri, SMT Shipping) as well as offshore operators (Bourbon, Noah Marine) and Turkish shipyards. DESE reports an 89% crew retention rate and was the first officially licensed and class-approved manning agency in Turkey.

Name

Dese Crew Management

Legal name

DESE Crew Management Denizcilik Lojistik Hizmetleri Sanayi Ticaret Limited Şirketi

Website

https://desecrew.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

DESE Crew Management is a privately held Turkish crew manning agency founded in 2015 that recruits, trains, and manages 3,000+ multi-national seafarers for 100+ vessels worldwide through 10 wholly-owned offices, serving global shipowners and ship managers with end-to-end crewing, training, payroll, and travel services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Crew Management Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Temporary Help Services (561320)

akta.pro primary industry

Vessel Husbandry & Crew Services (Crew Change, Meet & Assist, Transport, Shore Passes) (TLAHAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crew, Marine & Offshore Travel Management (TMCs) (THACAAAG), Spare Parts, Ship Chandlery & Logistics to Vessel (TLAHAJAF)

Keywords

• Crew management services
• Maritime manning agency
• Seafarer recruitment
• Ship crew training
• Maritime workforce supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Crew Management Services: Recurring crew management fees charged to shipowners for staffing vessels with qualified seafarers. Services include recruitment, training, payroll, travel, visa, flag endorsement, PPE provisioning, and pre-inspection support. Revenue is generated through contractual agreements with ship management companies and shipowners globally.
2. Ship Delivery Crew Supply: Lump-sum pricing for providing dedicated crew for ship delivery between ports. Handles vessel transfers including inspections, maintenance, flag and class changes. Budgeted differently from normal crew management.
3. Technical Crew Supply for Shipyard & Drydock: Supply of skilled workers (carpenters, welders, painters, etc.) for shipyard and drydock operations in Turkey. Workers employed under one-year contracts with DESE managing legal residential and work permits.
4. Flag Endorsement Services: DESE acts as an authorized filing agency for flag endorsements, issuing necessary endorsements for seafarers across multiple flag states including Panama, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Bahamas, Cyprus, Malta, and others.
5. Crew Pre-Inspection Services: Pre-inspection services at all ports (online or on-site) ensuring vessels are prepared for Port State Control inspections and authority inspections. Zero deficiency guarantee provided.
6. PPE & Provision Supply: Supply of food provisions and maritime gear (overall, shoes) to vessels globally via a network of agents, available 24/7.
7. Crew Hotel Bookings: Hotel accommodation arrangements in Turkey, Europe, and Asia through partnered hotels.
8. Crew Payroll Management: Crew budgeting, payroll processing, salary calculations, compliance with labor laws, and detailed payslip reporting.
9. Crew Travel & Flight Management: Comprehensive travel management including flight booking, ground transportation, and last-mile connectivity for seafarers. Partnerships with Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Lufthansa and others.
10. Crew Visa Services: Visa acquisition services for seafarers, specializing in Schengen and USA visas, facilitated through consulates in countries where DESE maintains offices.
11. Maritime Law & Crew Legal Services: Internal legal services for shipowners specializing in seafarer law and Maritime Labour Convention compliance. Dispute resolution and claim prevention handled internally without third-party legal firms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DESE Crew Management is an international maritime crew manning agency providing end-to-end crew lifecycle services to shipowners and ship management companies. Core deliverables include multi-national seafarer recruitment and deployment, crew training (basic, specialized, and onboard), payroll administration, travel/visa arrangements, flag endorsements across 20+ flag states, PPE and provision supply, and pre-inspection support for Port State Control/SIRE/RightShip readiness, supported by an in-house training platform and an internationally distributed network of 10 local offices.

Product overview

Dese Crew Management offers a unified crew management platform with integrated modules for the complete maritime crewing lifecycle. The core offering is Crew Management, supported by specialized sub-products including Crew Training (basic, specialized, and onboard training), Crew Payroll (budgeting and compensation), Flag Endorsement (documentation for 20+ flag states), PPE & Provision (equipment and supplies), Crew Pre-Inspection (PSC inspection readiness), Travel Management (transportation, hotels, visas, flights), Ship Delivery Crew Supply (port-to-port delivery), Technical Crew Supply (shipyard workforce), Maritime Law & Crew Legal Services (dispute resolution), and dedicated Training Platform (DESE Crew Training) and Academy (DESE Crew Academy) for professional development. The portfolio provides end-to-end solutions from recruitment through deployment and ongoing crew welfare.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DESE Crew Training: Dedicated training platform providing specialized maritime training aligned with current regulatory and vetting requirements
• DESE Crew Academy

Products and services

• Crew Management End-to-end crew management service providing qualified multi-national seafarers for all vessel types. Covers recruitment, training, payroll, travel, visa, flag endorsement, PPE/provision, and pre-inspection support, delivered through a 10-country local office network with a documented 89% crew retention rate.
• Ship Delivery Crew Supply Dedicated crew supply for ship deliveries between ports. Includes professional crew, vessel inspections, maintenance and repairs, and flag/class changes during transit. Offered at lump-sum pricing, distinct from the recurring crew management fee structure.
• Technical Crew Supply for Drydock & Shipyard Supply of skilled trades (carpenters, welders, painters, laborers, craftsmen) for Turkish shipyard construction and drydock maintenance projects. Workers employed under one-year contracts with DESE managing residential and work permits.
• Maritime Law & Crew Legal Services Internal legal services for shipowners on seafarer law, MLC compliance, dispute resolution, and claim prevention; delivered via DESE's in-house legal team under [email protected] without dependence on third-party law firms.
• DESE Crew Training Platform Online maritime training platform providing structured crew competency programs, inspection-readiness modules, and company-specific safety training, integrated with third-party course libraries (SQLearn and Maritime Trainer) and accessible to DESE-managed seafarers.
• DESE Crew Academy Training institution established to train and develop aspiring crewing and maritime HR professionals, combining crewing expertise with guest instruction from leading shipping companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% crew retention rate
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major and minor.

• SQLearncoreTechnology or Integration · 27 November 2025DESE Crew Management partnered with SQLearn, a leading online maritime training provider based in Piraeus, Greece (founded 2006), to deliver next-generation training to seafarers worldwide. The partnership provides DESE access to SQLearn's library of 200+ ABS-approved online courses covering Cargo Operations, Cyber Security, Mental Health, and vetting inspection prep (RightShip and SIRE). SQLearn supports over 1,000 vessels, 50,000 seafarers, and 150 shipping companies globally.
• Maritime TrainercoreTechnology or IntegrationDESE partnered with Maritime Trainer as a solution partner for e-learning and online training. Maritime Trainer provides interactive training modules, competency assessments, and simulation-based evaluations integrated into DESE's crew selection and professional development processes. The partnership enhances DESE's ability to evaluate and develop seafarer competencies digitally.
• Synergy Marine GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSynergy Marine Group, a major global ship management company, officially appointed DESE Crew Management as one of its manning partners with a focus on LNG and LPG vessel operations. Synergy was drawn to DESE's internationally integrated structure with local offices and multi-national crew operators enabling agile global crew deployment. Collaboration was solidified following DESE General Manager's visit to Synergy's Jakarta office.
• Fleet Management LimitedflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFleet Management (Hong Kong), one of the world's leading maritime companies managing 600+ vessels, appointed DESE as its official representative in Ukraine and Turkey since 2020. DESE facilitates employment of Ukrainian and Turkish seafarers across bulk carriers, tankers, and container vessels managed by Fleet Management.
• Avantgarde Shipping Corp.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDESE Group acquired a joint venture with Avantgarde Shipping Corp., a well-established manning company based in the Philippines since the 1980s. The acquisition completed in Manila, establishing DESE's new Philippines office. Avantgarde brings a clean track record and deep roots in the Filipino maritime labor market.
• Bourbon Greenmar OffshoremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBourbon Greenmar Offshore, a leading offshore services company, selected DESE as its crewing representative following a successful audit. DESE provides qualified seafarers for Bourbon's offshore operations with focus on projects in Turkey and West Africa.
• Anglo-Eastern Ship ManagementflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnglo-Eastern, one of the world's largest ship managers with nearly 650 vessels under technical management, conducted a crewing audit at DESE's Turkey office and is exploring employment of Turkish officers across their fleet. Discussions on local manning market collaboration and Turkish shipowner services are ongoing.
• Bahri Ship ManagementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBahri Ship Management, operating tankers, bulk carriers, and general cargo vessels, conducted its annual crewing audit at DESE's Athens office. The audit was successfully completed, reaffirming DESE's reliability as a crewing partner for Bahri's global fleet operations.
• SMT ShippingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMT Shipping, operating approximately 50 bulk carriers and cement carriers, conducted a comprehensive crewing audit at DESE Turkey offices. DESE supplies multi-national crew members for SMT's diverse fleet across different trade routes.
• Istanbul University Maritime ClubminorOthersDESE Crew Management was main sponsor of Istanbul University Maritime Club's (IU-C Denizcilik Kulübü) breakfast event. General Manager Cagatay Isbilen addressed students on career opportunities in the maritime industry and the importance of industry-academia connections.
• Odessa National Maritime UniversityminorOthersDESE's General Manager Cagatay Isbilen participated as an online speaker at Odessa National Maritime University's 'Intercultural Communication and Development Strategies' panel, discussing Ukrainian seafarer integration and welfare within the DESE fleet.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Philippine Transmarine Carriers (PTC): One of the largest Filipino manning agencies, providing multi-national crew management to global shipowners. Highly comparable in crew-lifecycle services and training; particularly relevant given DESE's 2025 acquisition of Avantgarde Shipping to enter the Philippines market.
• Marlow Navigation: One of the world's largest independent crew management companies, manning tankers, bulkers, and offshore vessels globally with a multi-national office network. Highly comparable to DESE in business model (multi-national manning, training, and full crew lifecycle services) and target customers (shipowners and managers).
• Columbia Shipmanagement: Cyprus-based full-service ship manager and crew provider with own offices in major seafarer-supply countries. Comparable business model (full crew lifecycle, multi-national offices, training) and serves a similar mix of European and Asian shipowners.
• Anglo-Eastern Ship Management: One of the world's largest third-party ship managers (~650 vessels) operating its own in-house crewing across multiple nationalities. Comparable as both a customer (current DESE partner for Turkish officers) and a competitor through its in-house manning capabilities.
• Fleet Management Limited: Hong Kong-based ship manager managing 600+ vessels with significant in-house and partner crewing operations. Direct overlap as a current DESE customer (since 2020) for Ukrainian and Turkish seafarers and as a competitor for the same shipowner clients.
• Synergy Marine Group: Major global ship manager with a focus on LNG/LPG and bulk carrier operations. Directly comparable as both a current DESE manning partner for LNG/LPG vessels and as a competitor sourcing crew from the same Asian and European pools.

Broad incumbents

• V.Ships (V.Group): World's largest ship management group, with integrated crew management, technical management, and training across thousands of vessels. Overlaps with DESE across crew supply, training, and pre-inspection but operates at much greater scale and with a broader services portfolio.
• Wilhelmsen Ship Management: Norwegian-headquartered ship management group providing crew management, technical management, and maritime training. Overlaps with DESE in multi-national crew sourcing, inspection-readiness services, and training, but with broader scale and a more diversified customer base.
• MISC Berhad: Malaysia-based global maritime group with its own ship management and crew management divisions serving LNG, tanker, and offshore segments. Comparable in scale, multi-national manning, and LNG/LPG crew expertise that competes for the same Asian and European shipowner mandates as DESE.
• Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM): Global ship manager and crew provider with own offices across major seafarer-sourcing countries. Comparable to DESE in multi-national crew deployment, training, and lifecycle services, but operates at significantly greater scale and across all vessel types including offshore.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DeseCrew
• Facebookfacebook.com/desecrew
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dese-crew-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Dese Crew Management