Griffon Marine Ltd

What Griffon Marine Ltd does

Griffon Marine Ltd is a UK-based marine engineering company specialising in the design, construction, and global support of hovercraft and lightweight marine vessels. Headquartered in Southampton with a 36,000 sq ft shipyard at Portchester, the company serves government defence agencies, coast guards, navies, and commercial marine operators across more than 45 countries. It is wholly owned by the Bland Group following a 2008 acquisition that consolidated Griffon Hovercraft, Hoverwork, and Hovercraft Consultants, and operates through three integrated divisions: Solutions (vessel design and consultancy), Shipyard (construction and aluminium fabrication), and Support (24/7 global after-care, spares, and crew training). The workforce stands at 120+, with women representing 15.6% of headcount.

The product portfolio spans commercial and military hovercraft including the 2000TD, 8000TD, BHT 130, BHT 150, and 12000TD passenger variants, the Wyvern LCAC (Landing Craft Air Cushion) for military amphibious operations including the Wyvern-J variant for the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, the PASCAT hybrid vessel, and Commando Raiding Craft (CRC) conversions for the Royal Marines. Underlying technologies include proprietary hovercraft skirt design, ducted propeller systems, variable pitch propellers, turbo-charged diesel engines, electric drive systems introduced in 2016, and hydrodynamic optimisation. The company holds ISO 9001, ISO 45001, and ISO 14001 certifications, with vessels built to IMO codes and certified by International Association of Classification Societies members. Over 80% of production is exported internationally.

Revenue is generated across three streams: new vessel construction and sale (one-time capital sales), maintenance, refit, and support services (recurring revenue including spares and crew training), and vessel design and consultancy via the Solutions division. Pricing is bespoke and quote-based, with go-to-market primarily through direct enterprise field sales and formal government tender processes. Anchored by the UK Ministry of Defence BISS26 programme covering approximately 3,000 boats through 2033, the Royal Marines CRC conversion programme (70,000 man-hours across 25 boats), and recent international wins including three 2000TD-class hovercraft for the Finnish Border Guard and a 12000TD passenger craft for OITA DAIICHI HOVERCRAFT in Japan, the company has a long-tail backlog of recurring support work across 190+ vessels globally.

Name

Griffon Marine Ltd

Legal name

Griffon Marine Ltd

Website

https://griffonmarine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Griffon Marine Ltd is a UK-based marine engineering company that designs, builds, and globally supports hovercraft and lightweight marine vessels for government defence agencies, coast guards, navies, and commercial operators across more than 45 countries. It operates through Solutions, Shipyard, and Support divisions under the Bland Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Vessel Manufacturing (Hovercraft)

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Landing Craft & Amphibious Workboats (LCM/LCT-style, Beaching Craft) (IMAJADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Patrol, Interceptor & Law-Enforcement Craft (Coast Guard, Customs) (IMAJADAD), Project Management & Owner’s Engineering / Technical Consultancy (Spec Writing, Bid Support, Site Support) (IMAJAGAO)

Keywords

• Hovercraft manufacturing
• Marine vessel construction
• Amphibious landing craft
• Military marine engineering
• Vessel aftercare services

Headquarters

HQ city

Southampton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. New Vessel Construction and Sales: Design, build and sale of hovercraft and lightweight marine vessels including passenger hovercraft, military hovercraft (Wyvern LCAC), and commercial vessels to government and commercial customers worldwide
2. Maintenance, Refit and Support Services: 24/7 global support services including maintenance, refit projects, spare parts supply, engineering support, and crew training for marine operators worldwide
3. Vessel Design and Consultancy: Specialist vessel design and consultancy services through Solutions division, assisting clients with maritime border security, amphibious insertion, riverine, and high-speed near coastal ferry vessel design

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Griffon Marine designs, builds, and supports hovercraft and lightweight marine vessels through three integrated divisions: Solutions (custom vessel design and consultancy for maritime border security, amphibious insertion, riverine, and high-speed ferry applications), Shipyard (construction and aluminium fabrication at the Trafalgar Wharf facility), and Support (24/7 global after-care including spares, engineering support, and crew training). The company manufactures the 2000TD, 8000TD, BHT 130, BHT 150, and 12000TD passenger hovercraft, the Wyvern LCAC military landing craft, PASCAT hybrid vessels, and performs Commando Raiding Craft conversion programmes for clients worldwide.

Product overview

Griffon Marine Ltd operates as a unified maritime solutions company comprising three integrated divisions: Solutions (vessel design and consultancy), Shipyard (construction and fabrication), and Support (global maintenance and training). The portfolio includes a range of hovercraft products including the 2000TD, 8000TD, BHT 150, BHT 130, and 12000TD passenger/cargo variants, the advanced Wyvern LCAC military craft, PASCAT hybrid vessels, and Commando Raiding Craft conversion programmes. The company also provides full through-life support services including spares, engineering, crew training, and 24/7 global assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Griffon Marine Solutions - Vessel Design and Consultancy A vessel design and consultancy division serving defence, coast guard, and commercial marine operators. Integrates advanced technologies, hydrodynamic optimisation, and alternative propulsion systems to develop intelligent, efficient, and future-ready vessels, including both new designs and enhancements to existing fleets.
• Griffon Marine Shipyard - Vessel Construction and Fabrication Shipyard-based construction and fabrication services for lightweight marine vessels, including aluminium marine fabrications, mechanical/electrical engineering, outfitting, and maintenance/refit projects. The 36,000+ sq ft Trafalgar Wharf facility holds extensive aluminium class codings and offers lean production lines for multi-project capacity.
• Griffon Marine Support - 24/7 Global After-Care A 24/7 year-round global support division providing spares, engineering support, and crew training for marine operators worldwide. Delivered either through the company's own experienced engineers and pilots or through trusted partners and shipyards, supporting coast guard, navy, army, and ferry operators with despatch reliability, vessel uptime maximisation, and crew competence.
• 2000TD Hovercraft Diesel-powered hovercraft designed for versatility and reliability in demanding maritime environments, approximately 12.7 metres in length with turbo-charged diesel engine and advanced skirt design. Sold to coast guard and maritime security operators such as the Finnish Border Guard for border surveillance, search and rescue, and interagency support.
• 8000TD Hovercraft Enhanced speed, endurance, and payload capacity hovercraft designed for maritime security and border control operations. Delivered to the Indian Coast Guard for coastal patrol and surveillance missions.
• BHT 150 Hovercraft Griffon's largest hovercraft at 31 metres in length and 20 tonnes of payload, designed for security and border control applications in demanding maritime environments.
• BHT 130 Hovercraft High-capacity passenger hovercraft series including the Solent Express variant (renamed Caspian Eagle for Caspian Offshore Construction), capable of operating in demanding coastal environments for passenger and offshore support applications.
• 12000TD Passenger Hovercraft Griffon's largest passenger hovercraft with next-generation lightweight materials and fuel efficient systems, capable of carrying approximately 80 passengers at speeds up to 45 knots. Deployed in the Oita Daiichi passenger hovercraft service between Oita Airport and Oita City, Japan, with annual passenger projections of 300,000-400,000.
• Wyvern LCAC Landing Craft Air Cushion Advanced Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) multi-role vessel with modular adaptability for high-speed amphibious operations, multi-theatre deployment, and demanding operational environments. Includes the Wyvern-J variant developed for the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force for coastal and littoral environments.
• PASCAT Hybrid Vessel Partial Air Cushion Supported CATamarans - hybrid vessel combining partial air cushion with catamaran hull for enhanced amphibious operations.
• Commando Raiding Craft (CRC) Conversion Programme Conversion of Royal Marines Offshore Raiding Craft (ORC) fleet to advanced Commando Raiding Craft (CRC). Features structural refurbishment, new propulsion systems, advanced communications and navigation suites, enhanced payload flexibility, and specialist coatings, with 70,000 man hours of engineering, fabrication and systems integration work across 25 boats.
• Maintenance, Refit and Support Services 24/7 global support services including maintenance, refit projects, spare parts supply, engineering support, and crew training for marine operators worldwide, delivered through experienced engineers, pilots, trusted partners, and shipyards.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24% workforce growth in single year following MOD contract wins
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Maritime SolentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Partner of Maritime Solent, contributing to industry leadership and working groups shaping the future of the maritime sector in the Solent region. Active participation in awards and industry events.
• Society of Maritime IndustriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Society of Maritime Industries, contributing to industry leadership and working groups shaping the future of the maritime sector.
• Solent Growth PartnershipsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Solent Growth Partnership helps ensure opportunities created by maritime and defence sectors benefit local communities.
• Portsmouth Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering ClustersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of cluster bringing together organisations in advanced materials and manufacturing in Portsmouth region.
• South Central Regional Defence & Security ClustersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of regional cluster supporting defence and security sector collaboration and growth.
• Hampshire Chamber of CommercesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce supporting business networking and regional economic development.
• Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air AmbulancesupportingOthersOngoing charitable partnership with HIOWAA. Exceeded first-year fundraising target of £10,000 by raising £10,243.60 through various employee activities including Miles for Missions challenge, Brew for the Crew, and sponsored skydives.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Austal Ships: Austal designs and builds high-speed catamarans and aluminium vessels for defence and commercial ferry operators, overlapping with Griffon Marine's high-speed coastal ferry and patrol vessel focus.
• Fassmer Shipyard: Fassmer designs and builds patrol boats, fast ferries, and specialised vessels for coast guards and navies, with comparable product lines to Griffon's 2000TD-class and 8000TD-class patrol/border surveillance hovercraft.
• BMT Group: BMT is a leading maritime design, engineering, and consultancy firm offering naval architecture and vessel design services comparable to Griffon Marine Solutions, serving defence, commercial, and offshore clients globally.
• SAFE Boats International: SAFE Boats builds aluminium patrol and work boats for coast guards, law enforcement, and military operators, making it a directly comparable peer in the small patrol craft segment served by Griffon's coast guard hovercraft.
• Incat: Incat builds high-speed aluminium catamarans and fast ferries for commercial operators and militaries worldwide, directly comparable to Griffon's 12000TD passenger hovercraft and catamaran-related offerings in the high-speed coastal ferry segment.
• Lloyd's Register: Lloyd's Register provides classification, certification, and marine engineering consultancy services globally, overlapping with Griffon Marine Solutions' vessel design and consultancy activities and sharing deep naval architecture expertise.
• Textron Marine & Land Systems: Textron's Marine & Land Systems division manufactures the US Navy's Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) and Ship-to-Shore Connector, making it the most direct competitor to Griffon Marine in military hovercraft and amphibious landing craft for Western defence forces.

Broad incumbents

• Babcock International: Babcock provides naval shipbuilding, through-life support, and marine engineering services to the UK MoD and allied governments, broadly competing with Griffon Marine's support division and shipyard for defence marine support contracts.
• Damen Shipyards: Damen builds a wide range of patrol vessels, fast ferries, and small craft for coast guards, navies, and commercial operators, positioning it as a broader incumbent with overlapping capabilities to Griffon's patrol and amphibious vessel portfolio.
• Lockheed Martin (Rotary and Mission Systems): Lockheed Martin builds the Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC), the US Navy's next-generation hovercraft replacement programme, positioning it as a broad incumbent competitor in military air-cushion vessels with far greater scale and resources than Griffon.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCplaceholder
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/griffon-marine-limited

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries3 records

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 Griffon Marine Ltd