Bourbon
Bourbon is a Marseille-headquartered offshore support vessel operator serving supermajors and national oil companies worldwide, running 159 vessels across 32 countries for marine logistics, subsea services, and crew transfer.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1950
- HeadquartersMarseille, France
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Bourbon does
Bourbon is a Marseille-headquartered offshore support vessel (OSV) operator serving the global oil and gas industry, operating a fleet of 159 vessels (AHTS, PSV, MPSV, ROV, FSIV, crewboats) across 32 countries, including AHTS, PSV, MPSV, ROV, FSIV, and crewboats. Approximately 90% of the fleet uses diesel-electric propulsion, and the company runs proprietary series such as the Bourbon Evolution 800/810 for deepwater inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) operations down to 3,000 meters with DP3 dynamic positioning. Bourbon also operates its own next-generation crewboats and supports specialized services such as pipelay EPCI and gravel pack operations. Digital layers include the Marinsights fleet-performance platform (with Opsealog), a real-time DP verification system (with Kongsberg Maritime, certified by Bureau Veritas), and MG Engine Link predictive engine monitoring.
Bourbon generates revenue predominantly through multi-year time and bareboat charter contracts with supermajors and national oil companies, including ExxonMobil (Guyana, Angola), Eni (Congo), Total (Gabon), Tullow (Ghana), and Prime Energy (Philippines), with contract terms typically of 3-5 years and vessel day-rate pricing. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales driven by operational excellence, safety record (TRIR of 0.57 as of December 31, 2025), and modern, fuel-efficient fleet capability, with marketing support via industry content (Bourbon Partnership magazine), an active corporate news site and podcast, and sustainability reporting.
Following the 2014-2016 offshore sector downturn, Bourbon restructured through the 'Stronger for longer' (2017) and '#BOURBONINMOTION' (2018) plans, culminating in a 2025 financial restructuring in which Davidson Kempner Capital Management and Fortress Investment Group became majority shareholders via debt-to-equity conversion, reduced financial debt to below 1.5x EBITDA, and took the company private. Subsequent fleet expansion of 13 vessels ($180M+) in early 2026 and a leadership transition to Olivier Blaringhem (effective September 14, 2026) mark the start of a renewed growth phase under PE ownership.
Bourbon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bourbon
- Legal name
- BOURBON Maritime
- Website
- https://bourbonoffshore.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1950
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Bourbon is a Marseille-headquartered offshore support vessel operator serving supermajors and national oil companies worldwide, running 159 vessels across 32 countries for marine logistics, subsea services, and crew transfer.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bourbon industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Offshore Maritime Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Water Transportation (483)
- SIC
- Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389), Water Transportation (4400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Offshore Marine & Aviation Support (PSVs, AHTS, Crew Boats, Helicopters) (EUALABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Offshore Support & Marine Logistics Vessel Operators (PSV/AHTS) (TLADABAL)
Keywords
Where Bourbon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Marseille
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Bourbon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Vessel chartering and marine services: Bourbon generates revenue primarily through time charter and bareboat charter contracts for its offshore support vessels serving the oil and gas industry. Revenue is earned from vessel day rates, with contracts typically spanning 3-5 years. Services include platform supply, crew transport, anchor handling, subsea inspection/maintenance/repair, and gravel pack operations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Contract-based pricing for offshore vessel services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Bourbon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bourbon provides offshore maritime services to the oil and gas industry through a diversified fleet of 159 vessels, including anchor handling tug supply (AHTS), platform supply vessels (PSV), multi-purpose support vessels (MPSV) with ROVs, fast safety intervention vessels (FSIV), and crewboats. The company delivers three integrated service lines — Marine & Logistics, Subsea (inspection, maintenance, repair, survey, pipelay), and Passenger Mobility — primarily under 3-5 year charter contracts with super-major and national oil companies operating offshore.
Product overview
Bourbon is a French maritime services company operating 159 offshore support vessels across 32 countries, providing integrated marine services to the global oil & gas industry. The company operates through three main service categories: Marine & Logistics (AHTS, PSV vessels for towing, anchor handling, and platform supply), Subsea Services (MPSV and ROV-equipped vessels for inspection, maintenance, repair, survey, and pipeline operations), and Passenger Mobility (FSIV and crew boats for personnel transfer). The fleet includes proprietary vessel series such as Bourbon Evolution (deepwater IMR), Bourbon Liberty (multi-purpose offshore), and new generation crew boats. Bourbon also offers digital platforms including a Safety Management System and Marinsights analytics, integrating third-party solutions from Opsealog for fleet performance monitoring.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AHTS (Anchor Handling Tug Supply) vessels
- PSV (Platform Supply Vessel) services
- MPSV (Multi-Purpose Support Vessel) services
- ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) services
- FSIV (Fast Safety Intervention Vessel) services
- Crewboat services
- Subsea Services
- Marine & Logistics Services
- Passenger Mobility Services
Quantifiable outcome
- TRIR maintained below 0.75 (0.57 in 2025)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Bourbon
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Bourbon technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability6 records
Feature4 records
Bourbon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and strategic.
- White & Case LLPmajorGlobal law firm advised Bourbon on financial and capital restructuring, including debt-to-equity conversion and negotiations with creditors. Also advised on five transactions that received 2025 Marine Money 'Deal of the Year' awards.
- OpsealogmajorPartnership for Marinsights digital monitoring solution deployed at scale following 2024 pilot on 25 vessels. Platform provides real-time fuel consumption, activity, routes, and standby time data with monthly reports to crews and management.
- MG Marine Power SolutionmajorPartnership for engine maintenance and reliability solutions. MG provides safety stock arrangement for critical components, long block engine solutions, and MG Engine Link monitoring tool. Partnership has demonstrated significant reductions in unplanned vessel downtime.
- Bureau VeritascoreStrategic partnership for digitalization of vessel operations under Bourbon's Smart shipping program. Bureau Veritas provides classification of connectivity systems and cyber security certification. First application is real-time verification of dynamic positioning operations, with pilot on Bourbon Explorer 508 in Trinidad waters.
- IdeolstrategicEngineering collaboration for floating wind turbine mooring installation. Ideol designed the innovative synthetic mooring lines used in the FLOATGEN project for Ecole Centrale Nantes' SEM-REV test site in France.
- Kongsberg MaritimecoreStrategic agreement for collaborative development on connected and autonomous vessels. Kongsberg provides digital technology enabling BOURBON to access high-quality aggregated vessel data and develop new operating methods. BOURBON provides Kongsberg access to fleet data and client operations insight.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Bourbon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Solstad Offshore: Norwegian OSV operator with global fleet focused on AHTS, PSV, and subsea construction vessels. Comparable scale and global operating footprint, particularly in West Africa and Brazil where Bourbon also operates.
- DOF Group: Norwegian offshore service vessel operator providing PSV, AHTS, and subsea IMR/construction services globally. Direct competitor with similar subsea capabilities and supermajor customer relationships.
- Vroon Offshore: Dutch offshore support vessel operator with substantial fleet of PSVs, AHTS, and subsea vessels serving North Sea, West Africa, and Asia-Pacific. Closely comparable business model and customer base to Bourbon.
- Edison Chouest Offshore: Privately held global OSV operator with a large modern fleet including PSVs, AHTS, and subsea vessels. Directly comparable to Bourbon in vessel classes served, customer base (supermajors), and operational geography.
- Tidewater Inc. Tidewater is the largest global operator of offshore support vessels serving the oil and gas industry, with a fleet of ~200 vessels. Direct competitor to Bourbon across PSV, AHTS, and crewboat segments in West Africa, Americas, and Asia-Pacific.
- Seacor Marine Holdings: US-based offshore support vessel operator with PSV, AHTS, and crewboat fleet serving Gulf of Mexico, Latin America, and West Africa. Direct competitor to Bourbon in PSV and crewboat segments.
- Harvey Gulf International Marine: US-based offshore support vessel operator specializing in PSVs, fast supply vessels, and subsea vessels, primarily serving Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Comparable vessel classes and oil & gas customer focus.
- Siem Offshore: Norwegian-headquartered OSV owner/operator with PSV, AHTS, and subsea construction vessels. Comparable vessel types and customer base to Bourbon, particularly across West Africa and South America.
Broad incumbents
- Subsea 7: Larger subsea engineering, construction, and services company with vessel fleet including IMR, pipelay, and heavy construction vessels. Overlaps with Bourbon's subsea MPSV/IMR capabilities but operates as integrated subsea contractor with broader scope.
- Saipem: Major integrated oilfield services and engineering company with offshore vessel fleet for pipelay, heavy lift, and subsea services. Overlaps with Bourbon's pipeline installation and subsea capabilities as part of broader EPCI portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Bourbon social profiles
Digital presenceBourbon compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Bourbon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bourbon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Bourbon subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Bourbon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bourbon 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 Bourbon
What does Bourbon do?
Bourbon provides offshore maritime services to the oil and gas industry through a diversified fleet of 159 vessels, including anchor handling tug supply (AHTS), platform supply vessels (PSV), multi-purpose support vessels (MPSV) with ROVs, fast safety intervention vessels (FSIV), and crewboats. The company delivers three integrated service lines — Marine & Logistics, Subsea (inspection, maintenance, repair, survey, pipelay), and Passenger Mobility — primarily under 3-5 year charter contracts with super-major and national oil companies operating offshore.
Is Bourbon a public or private company?
Bourbon is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Bourbon founded?
Bourbon was founded in 1950. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Bourbon based?
Bourbon is headquartered in Marseille, France, in the Europe region.
How does Bourbon make money?
One revenue line is on record: vessel chartering and marine services.
Who are Bourbon's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Solstad Offshore, DOF Group, Vroon Offshore, Edison Chouest Offshore, Tidewater Inc., Seacor Marine Holdings, Harvey Gulf International Marine and Siem Offshore. Broad incumbents are Subsea 7 and Saipem.
Does Bourbon have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bourbon.
What industry is Bourbon in?
Bourbon's product category is Offshore Maritime Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUALABAJ, Offshore Marine & Aviation Support (PSVs, AHTS, Crew Boats, Helicopters), with a secondary code of TLADABAL, Offshore Support & Marine Logistics Vessel Operators (PSV/AHTS). Its NAICS code is 4883 and its SIC code is 1389.