What DETROIT BRASIL does

Detroit Brasil Ltda. is a Brazilian shipbuilding and repair company founded in 2002, operating from a 120,000 m² shipyard in Itajaí, Santa Catarina, on the banks of the Itajaí-Açú River. The company focuses on medium-sized workboats constructed in steel and aluminum, including the DB-2400 and DB-3200 tugboat series (with 50+ units delivered), the GPA 688SC Platform Supply Vessel (17 units delivered to its sister company Starnav), and the WB-2000 and WB-3000 wellboats for the aquaculture industry. Its core technology stack includes a 5,200-ton Syncrolift elevating dock, a proprietary Fish Handling and Welfare System for live fish transport, DP2 dynamic positioning on PSVs, and green propulsion variants (hybrid, LNG, battery) under the DB-3200 Green Line. Quality is governed by the Detroit Quality Standard, a codified set of procedures aligned with international classification society rules.

The company operates a sales-led, direct commercial model targeting shipowners, fleet operators, and classification societies primarily in Brazil and South America. Revenue is generated through three streams: new vessel construction (one-time project contracts individually quoted), ship repair and modernization services (project-based utilizing the Syncrolift), and recurring vessel tracking subscriptions. The longest commercial relationship is with affiliate Starnav Servicos Maritimos, which operates all 17 PSVs built by Detroit Brasil along the Brazilian coast. The company additionally serves Chilean salmon aquaculture operators and international shipowners, and holds a 2022 Baird Maritime Best Medium Wellboat award for its Wellboat VAR. Detroit Brasil is a subsidiary of Detroit S.A., a diversified maritime conglomerate.

Name

DETROIT BRASIL

Legal name

Detroit Brasil Ltda.

Website

https://detroitbrasil.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Detroit Brasil is a Brazilian shipbuilder and repair yard in Itajaí specializing in medium-sized workboats — tugboats, offshore supply vessels, and wellboats — serving shipowners, fleet operators, and its sister company Starnav across Brazil and South America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Shipbuilding

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (3366)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Inland Waterway & River Workboats (Pushboats, Towboats) (IMAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retrofits & Modernization (Scrubbers, Ballast Water, Alternative Fuels, Energy-Saving Devices) (IMAJAFAH), Dry Docks & Floating Docks (Graving, Floating, Syncrolift) (IMAJALAA), Mechanical Systems Repair (Engines, Propulsion, Pumps) (TLAKAKAF)

Keywords

• Shipbuilding services
• Vessel repair maintenance
• Offshore support vessels
• Tugboat construction
• Wellboat aquaculture

Headquarters

HQ city

Itajaí

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. New Vessel Construction: Design, develop, and build new workboats including tugboats, offshore support vessels (PSVs), wellboats, ferries, catamarans, and dredges. Revenue recognized upon vessel delivery.
2. Ship Repair and Modernization: Repair, conversion, and upgrade services for vessels including emergency and class docking, engine maintenance, thruster servicing, and system modernization. Includes Syncrolift-based services for vessels up to 110m and 5,200 tons.
3. Vessel Tracking Services: Real-time vessel position monitoring service for vessels globally.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Detroit Brasil designs, constructs, and repairs medium-sized workboats from its 120,000 m² shipyard in Itajaí, Santa Catarina. Core offerings include new construction of tugboats, offshore support vessels (PSVs), wellboats for live fish transport, ferries, catamarans, and dredges, alongside ship repair and modernization services via a Syncrolift dock, plus a real-time vessel tracking subscription service.

Product overview

Detroit Brasil operates as a shipbuilding and repair company offering a portfolio of vessel products and maritime services. The core product portfolio includes a range of workboats: the DB-2400 and DB-3200 tugboat series (with Green Line low-emission variants including hybrid, LNG, and battery-powered models), the GPA 688SC offshore support vessel (PSV) with dynamic positioning, and the WB-2000 and WB-3000 Wellboat live fish carriers. Beyond new construction, the company provides ship repair and modernization services using a Syncrolift facility, and offers vessel tracking services for monitoring fleet positions globally. The company also develops special custom projects including ferries, dredgers, and catamarans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DB-2400 Tugboat A 24.3-meter tugboat designed for port support operations, featuring 40-70 tonnes of bollard pull, azimuth propulsion, 12-knot speed, and FIFI Class 1 fire-fighting capabilities. Built for port authorities, terminal operators, and harbor services.
• DB-3200 Tugboat A 32-meter tugboat with over 50 units delivered, offering 40-80 tonnes bollard pull, available in conventional or hybrid ASD propulsion, suitable for port, terminal, oceanic tow, and offshore platform line handling operations.
• DB-3200 Green Line Tugboat Series Low-emission tugboat variants including HYB-M (diesel hybrid), LNG-fueled, and full battery versions, designed to reduce operator carbon footprint in port operations.
• PSV GPA 688SC A 90-meter offshore support vessel designed in partnership with GPA Guido Perla & Associates, featuring diesel-electric azimuth propulsion, DP2 dynamic positioning, 4,700-5,300 DWT capacity, and rail-mounted cranes. Built for oil and gas platform supply operations.
• WB-2000 Wellboat A 72.1-meter live fish carrier with 2,000 m³ capacity in two cargo tanks, featuring RSW system, automatic cleaning, O3 disinfection, UV sterilizers, O2 injection, and simultaneous tank unloading capabilities. Built for the salmon farming industry.
• WB-3000 Wellboat A 78.75-meter live fish carrier with 3,000 m³ capacity, equipped with Detroit's Fish Handling and Welfare System, meeting latest international requirements for worldwide aquaculture operations.
• Ship Repair and Modernization Services Repair, conversion, and upgrade services including emergency and class docking, system modernization, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance of engines, thrusters, winches, and other equipment, utilizing a Syncrolift for vessels up to 110 meters and 5,200 tons.
• Vessel Tracking Service Real-time vessel position monitoring service enabling tracking of vessels across the globe on a recurring subscription basis.
• Special Projects (Custom Vessels) Custom vessel development including ferries, dredgers, passenger catamarans, and other specialized vessels developed in partnership with shipowners and designers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered more than 120 vessels since 2002
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• GPA Guido Perla & AssociatescoreTechnology or IntegrationNorth American engineering firm GPA Guido Perla & Associates partnered with Detroit Brasil for the design of the GPA 688SC PSV (Platform Supply Vessel). Detroit Brasil delivered 17 vessels based on this design, all equipped with diesel-electric azimuth propulsion and DP2 dynamic positioning systems. The partnership enabled delivery of vessels meeting both national and international operating requirements.
• Starnav Serviços Marítimos Ltda.coreOthersStarnav is a Brazilian Maritime Company (EBN) that consolidates Detroit Group's presence in Brazil. It operates port and offshore support services along the Brazilian coast. All 17 PSV GPA 688SC vessels built by Detroit Brasil operate in the Starnav fleet. Detroit Brasil provides shipyard support for Starnav's fleet improvement and expansion programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sembcorp Marine: Singapore-based global shipbuilder and offshore engineering group building offshore platforms, PSVs, and specialized vessels. Comparable to Detroit as a major offshore vessel builder serving the oil & gas value chain.
• Vard (Fincantieri Group): Norwegian-Italian shipbuilder specializing in offshore and specialized vessels, part of Fincantieri. Comparable to Detroit as a builder of offshore support vessels and specialized tugs for the global offshore and harbor markets.

Emerging players

• Metal Ships & Docks (MSD): Spanish shipyard building PSVs, offshore vessels, and specialized workboats. Comparable to Detroit as a focused builder of offshore supply vessels and medium-sized workboats with similar order profiles.

Regional players

• Eastern Shipbuilding Group: U.S. shipbuilder of offshore support vessels, patrol boats, and specialized tugs. Comparable to Detroit as a regional yard building PSVs and harbor support craft for offshore and government clients.
• Estaleiro Atlântico Sul (EAS): Large Brazilian shipyard based in Ipojuca, Pernambuco, focused on shipbuilding and offshore platform fabrication. Comparable as a domestic Brazilian competitor for medium-to-large vessel construction and offshore structures.
• Bollinger Shipyards: U.S. shipbuilder of offshore supply vessels, tugs, and government vessels. Comparable to Detroit as a regional shipyard with strong capabilities in PSVs and harbor tugs for the offshore energy market.

Direct peers

• Astilleros Armón: Spanish shipbuilder of tugs, offshore vessels, ferries, and fishing vessels. Comparable to Detroit in mid-size workboat construction and design-to-delivery capability for harbor, offshore, and special-purpose markets.
• Ulstein Verft: Norwegian shipyard building offshore support vessels, specialized tugs, and expedition cruise ships. Comparable to Detroit Brasil in the design and construction of offshore vessels and platform supply vessels for oil & gas.
• Fassmer: German shipbuilder of specialized vessels including tugs, offshore supply vessels, ferries, and special-purpose craft. Comparable to Detroit in medium-sized workboat construction with a similar product portfolio breadth.
• Damen Shipyards Group: Dutch global shipbuilder of workboats, tugs, offshore support vessels, and specialized vessels. Directly comparable to Detroit Brasil as a multi-vessel workboat builder serving harbor, offshore, and special-purpose markets worldwide.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/detroit-brasil

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 DETROIT BRASIL