Associated Underwater Services, Inc.

What Associated Underwater Services, Inc. does

Associated Underwater Services, Inc. (AUS) is a privately held, woman-owned commercial diving company founded in 1983 and headquartered in Spokane, Washington, with additional offices in Kenmore (Seattle area) and Northern California. The firm delivers underwater construction, inspection, repair, salvage, ship husbandry, and sonar survey services for federal, state, and municipal clients, public utility districts, ports, and select commercial shipping operators. Core specializations include hydroelectric dam projects (crack repair, fish passage, draft tube work, cable replacement), marine infrastructure (pile repair, cathodic protection, terminal modernization), and emergency response including derelict vessel salvage.

AUS executes work via in-house dive crews equipped for conventional surface-supplied diving as well as rare mixed-gas (heliox) operations at depths exceeding 240 feet. The company owns and operates a Seaeye Falcon ROV paired with a Track link 1500 positioning system, and maintains a multi-vendor sonar stack that includes Blueview 5000 mechanical scanning sonar, Teledyne Odom MB2 multibeam echosounder, Norbit iWBMSh, and Marine Sonic SeaScan systems, with Velodyne HDL-32 mobile LiDAR integrated for above/below-water surveys. Capabilities encompass cathodic protection installation (including a 300-zinc-anode Port of Seattle Terminal 5 project), pile jacket installation, underwater welding and burning, hyperbaric tunneling, and emergency fire/debris response.

Revenue is generated through project-based commercial diving contracts, master service agreements, and competitive bidding on government and utility procurements, with services delivered by company-owned crews and equipment rather than via resellers or franchise channels. The customer base is concentrated in U.S. public-sector and regulated-utility buyers across the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, California, and select international engagements (e.g., Argentina, Alaska Sheyma Island surveys). Strategic technology and subcontractor partnerships include ASI Marine (sonar integration) and Pacific Pile & Marine (marine construction overflow), complemented by industry association memberships in ADCI, AGC, and DAN.

Name

Associated Underwater Services, Inc.

Legal name

Associated Underwater Services, Inc.

Website

https://ausdiving.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Woman-owned commercial diving firm (founded 1983) providing underwater construction, inspection, ROV, sonar, and salvage services to U.S. public utilities, ports, dams, and select maritime clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Diving Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Underwater Inspection, Maintenance & Repair (UWILD, Diving/ROV, In-water Cleaning) (IMAJAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Underwater Salvage & Diving Operations (UWILD, Cutting, Welding) (IMAJANAD), Underwater Hull Services (Diving, In-Water Cleaning, Propeller Polishing, Inspection) (TLAHAMAL), Underwater Hull Inspection, Cleaning & Propeller Services (TLAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Commercial diving services
• Underwater construction
• ROV inspection
• Marine salvage
• Dam inspection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Spokane, Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commercial Diving Services: Project-based professional diving services for underwater construction, inspections, repairs, and maintenance. Revenue generated through fixed-price contracts and time-and-materials master service agreements with utilities, ports, and government agencies.
2. ROV Services: Remotely operated vehicle inspection, survey, and mapping services. Typically bundled with diving operations or provided as standalone services for deep water or hazardous environments.
3. Salvage Operations: Emergency and planned salvage services for vessels and submerged equipment, charged per project based on complexity and duration.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Associated Underwater Services, Inc. (AUS) is a Washington State-based commercial diving company delivering underwater construction, inspection, repair, and maintenance services through surface-supplied and mixed-gas dive teams, ROV (Seaeye Falcon) deployments, multibeam and 3D sonar surveys, and salvage operations. The firm serves government agencies, public utility districts, ports, hydroelectric facilities, and commercial shipping operators across the United States and worldwide, bundling diving, ROV, sonar, and construction capabilities into single project contracts.

Product overview

Associated Underwater Services, Inc. (AUS) is a commercial dive company providing a comprehensive suite of underwater and marine services. The company operates as a single unified service provider rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, offering commercial diving services, ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) services, underwater marine construction, salvage, ship husbandry, and sonar survey services. Core specializations include hydroelectric/dam services, marine infrastructure repair, cathodic protection installation, and emergency response. The services are delivered through experienced dive teams utilizing specialized equipment including the Seaeye Falcon ROV and various sonar systems. AUS serves clients throughout the United States and globally from offices in Spokane, WA, Seattle, WA, and Northern California.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Diving Services Professional surface-supplied and mixed-gas diving services for underwater construction, inspection, maintenance, and repair in marine and freshwater environments at varied depths.
• ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) Services Remotely operated vehicle inspection, survey, and intervention services for deep-water and hazardous environments where diving is impractical.
• Underwater Marine Construction Underwater construction, repair, and demolition including pile repair, underwater welding, burning, and structural installations for marine and freshwater infrastructure.
• Salvage Services Vessel and submerged equipment salvage operations including lift bag deployment, rigging, hull patching, and debris recovery.
• Ship Husbandry Underwater maintenance and repair services for vessels including propeller line removal, hull cleaning, and mooring line clearing.
• Sonar Survey Services Multibeam, profiling, and scanning sonar surveys for bathymetric mapping, structural inspection, and debris mapping using Blueview, Teledyne Odom, Norbit, and Marine Sonic sonar systems.
• Hydro Industry / Dam Services Specialized services for hydroelectric facilities including crack repairs, sediment relocation, inspections, fish passage construction, draft tube cable replacement, and infrastructure rehabilitation.
• Cathodic Protection Installation Installation of impressed current cathodic protection systems for marine structures, including zinc anode installation, weld continuity bar installation, and underwater epoxy coating.
• Pile Repair and Jacket Installation Structurally reinforced pile jacket installation and pile repair services for marine infrastructure using surface-supplied air diving and helmet camera monitoring.
• Emergency Response Services 24/7 emergency underwater response for environmental damage mitigation, fire response, debris recovery, and navigational hazard clearance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully completed Port of Seattle Terminal 5 project installing 300 zinc anodes (45 at 725 lbs., 255 at 325 lbs.) with full compliance to project specifications
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ASI MarinecoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic technology partnership for sonar survey operations. AUS teams with ASI Marine on complex underwater survey projects, utilizing ASI Marine's advanced sonar systems and data processing capabilities combined with AUS's diving and ROV deployment expertise.
• Pacific Pile & Marine (PPM)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSubcontracting relationship for marine construction projects in Seattle area. AUS provides specialized diving services including pile excavation, pile stubbing, pile repair, and underwater welding for Pacific Pile & Marine's major infrastructure projects.
• ADCI (Association of Diving Contractors International)minorOthersIndustry association membership ensuring compliance with commercial diving standards and best practices. AUS crew operations are ADCI approved.
• AGC (Associated General Contractors)minorOthersTrade association membership connecting AUS with broader construction industry network and standards.
• DAN (Divers Alert Network)minorOthersSafety partnership for diving emergency preparedness and support services for commercial diving operations.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Helix Energy Solutions Group: Public subsea services and robotics company with commercial diving, ROV, and intervention capabilities. Overlaps with AUS in underwater inspection and intervention but serves broader offshore energy markets at much larger scale.
• Global Diving & Salvage: One of the largest commercial diving and marine salvage firms in North America with national coverage. Competes with AUS on underwater construction, salvage, and inspection but at significantly larger scale.
• Phoenix International Holdings: Large commercial diving and subsea services contractor with extensive navy, government, and offshore experience. Competes with AUS on complex underwater construction and salvage but operates at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Triton Diving Services: Commercial diving firm offering underwater inspection, repair, and ROV services across the Western US. Comparable scale and service mix, with similar Pacific Northwest/Western US footprint.
• Marine Solutions: Underwater inspection, construction, and marine services firm serving dam, bridge, port, and infrastructure clients. Comparable in service breadth, especially in hydroelectric and bridge inspection work.
• Ballard Marine Construction: Heavy marine construction and commercial diving contractor serving the Pacific Northwest with dam, bridge, and port projects. Highly comparable geography, service mix, and customer base to AUS.
• Ocean Construction Services: Commercial diving and marine construction firm offering underwater inspection, repair, and heavy marine construction services. Closely comparable in service mix, customer base (ports, utilities, government), and scale to AUS.
• American Underwater Services: Commercial diving company providing underwater inspection, maintenance, and construction services to utilities, ports, and government clients. Directly comparable in offering and customer profile to AUS.

Others

• ASI Marine: Sonar survey and subsea services firm with technology partnership to AUS. Provides advanced sonar capabilities that AUS leverages on complex survey projects; complementary rather than directly competitive.
• Pacific Pile & Marine: Pacific Northwest marine construction prime contractor and existing AUS subcontracting partner. Comparable in marine construction scope and geography; AUS's role is typically as diving subcontractor to PPM.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Associated Underwater Services, Inc.