Marine Exchange of the San Francisco Bay Region

What Marine Exchange of the San Francisco Bay Region does

The Marine Exchange of the San Francisco Bay Region (also known as SFMX) is a private, membership-based maritime industry association founded in 1850 and headquartered in Emeryville, California. The organization serves as a regional coordination body for the San Francisco Bay maritime community, facilitating collaboration among private shipping companies, tug and ferry operators, port authorities, government agencies (including the U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA, USACE, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife OSPR), and individual maritime professionals. It operates through three membership tiers (Individual at $252/year, Company at $494/year, and Public Body at $1,995/year), committee structures (Harbor Safety Committee, Area Maritime Security Committee, Trade Facilitation Committee), and a portfolio of operational products, daily reports, and specialized maritime information services.

Its core technology and data infrastructure is built around integration of third-party oceanographic and hydrographic data sources. The Marine Exchange partners with NOAA to maintain the regional Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS) sensor network, integrates U.S. Army Corps of Engineers E-Hydro hydrographic survey data for navigation channels, and pulls real-time and historical ocean observations from the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS) Data Portal. It operates the SFMX Incident Map (an interactive ArcGIS-based system used during PAWSA workshops), the MISNA maritime information system, and the Member Compass member portal. These data integrations support safer vessel movement, harbor safety planning, and regional maritime situational awareness rather than functioning as a proprietary software product.

The business model is subscription-style membership dues supplemented by one-time fees for operational products and special services (e.g., website store sales of items such as the 'I Will Not Abandon You' poster). The organization is self-sustaining, not venture-backed, and governed by a Board of Directors. Its primary defensibility stems from a federally-linked regulatory mandate over harbor safety planning (via the Harbor Safety Committee's harbor safety plan submission) and 175+ years of accumulated institutional relationships with regional maritime stakeholders.

Name

Marine Exchange of the San Francisco Bay Region

Legal name

Marine Exchange of the San Francisco Bay Region

Website

https://sfmx.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1850

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Marine Exchange of the San Francisco Bay Region is a 175-year-old, membership-based maritime industry association coordinating harbor safety, maritime security, and trade facilitation across the San Francisco Bay Region through committees, NOAA/USACE data integrations, and tiered membership for industry, government, and individuals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Industry Association and Harbor Safety Coordination

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (488310), Navigational Services to Shipping (488330)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Harbor Master & Marine Traffic Control (VTS) (TLAHAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Service Provider Coordination (Diving, Inspection, Class/Survey Support) (TLAHAJAI), Maritime & Port Authorities (Public Ports, Harbors, Ferries Terminals) (BPAIALAF)

Keywords

• Maritime safety coordination
• Harbor safety planning
• Vessel traffic services
• Maritime information services
• Port community association

Headquarters

HQ city

Emeryville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from three tiers: Company ($494/year), Individual ($252/year), and Public Body ($1,995/year). Membership provides access to network of professionals, training programs, industry insights, and committee participation.
2. Products and Services: Sales of operational products, daily reports, and special services. The organization maintains a store for products like the 'I Will Not Abandon You' poster.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Marine Exchange of the San Francisco Bay Region is a private maritime industry association that coordinates harbor safety, maritime security, and trade facilitation for the San Francisco Bay Region through tiered memberships and convened committees. Its core deliverables are real-time oceanographic and hydrographic data integration (via NOAA PORTS, USACE E-Hydro, and CeNCOOS), Harbor Safety and Area Maritime Security Committee coordination including mandated harbor safety planning, daily maritime operational reports, an escort program for tanker vessels, and a member portal providing networking, events, and industry reporting.

Product overview

The Marine Exchange of the San Francisco Bay Region is a maritime industry association offering a portfolio of services including real-time oceanographic data through P.O.R.T.S. (Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System), committee coordination for Harbor Safety, Area Maritime Security, and Trade Facilitation, member portal access through Member Compass, daily operational reports, specialized safety services including escort programs and Kip ratings, and maritime information resources including maps, codes, and statistics. The organization serves as a coordination body for the regional maritime community rather than a software product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Member Compass Member portal providing members of the San Francisco Bay maritime community with access to the Marine Exchange network, specialized industry reporting, and premium networking events.
• P.O.R.T.S. (Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System) Real-time water level, current, weather, and bridge clearance data system for mariners, maintained in partnership with NOAA to support safer vessel movement in San Francisco Bay.
• Daily Reports Regular reporting service providing maritime industry updates, safety notices, and operational information to members of the Marine Exchange.
• Escort Program (Tanker Tug Escort) Coordination of the tanker vessel escort program for safe navigation of tank vessels within San Francisco Bay, with regulatory oversight by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife OSPR.
• Harbor Safety Committee Coordination Convening and facilitation of the Harbor Safety Committee of the San Francisco Bay Region, including subcommittees (Ferry Operations, Tugs, Prevention through People, P.O.R.T.S., Navigation, Dredge Issues, Marine Mammals) and working groups (Tanker Tug Escort, Tsunami Ready Maritime, MERIT), with mandated harbor safety planning responsibilities.
• Area Maritime Security Committee Coordination Convening and facilitation of the Area Maritime Security Committee, including cybersecurity subcommittees and working groups for maritime security in the San Francisco Bay Region.
• Trade Facilitation Committee Coordination Convening and facilitation of the Trade Facilitation Committee supporting trade and commerce within the regional maritime economy of San Francisco Bay.
• Operational Products Operational products supporting maritime industry activities within the San Francisco Bay Region, sold through the Marine Exchange store.
• Special Services Specialized services addressing unique maritime operational needs within the San Francisco Bay Region, delivered by the Marine Exchange.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with NOAA to maintain the regional PORTS (Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System) sensor network. The Marine Exchange supports the NOAA PORTS initiative that delivers real-time water level, current, weather, and bridge clearance data to mariners for safer vessel movement in San Francisco Bay.
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)coreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partnership for E-Hydro hydrographic survey data providing raw data for U.S. navigation channels. Supports identification of shoaling and guides dredging operations. Coordinates with NOAA for integrated maritime safety data.
• U.S. Coast GuardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing operational partnership through Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC) and Harbor Safety Committee coordination. USCG Sector San Francisco participates in vessel traffic management, maritime security, and safety planning initiatives.
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife Office of Spill Prevention and ResponsecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory partnership overseeing the Tank Vessel Escort Program. The Tanker Tug Escort (TTE) Working Group submits recommended regulatory revisions to this department for review.
• San Francisco Bar PilotscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey maritime safety partner providing pilot services and participating in Harbor Safety Committee, MERIT Working Group, and other safety initiatives. Captain Dave Corbett serves as MERIT Working Group Chair.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Port of San Francisco: Public port authority operating maritime facilities within the same San Francisco Bay Region geography. Comparable as a regional maritime stakeholder the Marine Exchange regularly coordinates with, but a public-sector operator rather than a private membership association.
• Port of Oakland: Adjacent major container port authority within the San Francisco Bay Region. Comparable as a large maritime stakeholder in the same regional ecosystem that participates in Harbor Safety Committee and AMSC coordination activities.

Others

• Pacific Maritime Association: West Coast maritime labor-management organization representing employers in waterfront labor relations. Comparable as a Pacific Coast maritime industry organization with a member-driven model, though focused on labor rather than safety coordination.
• NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration): Federal science agency that is both the Marine Exchange's core data partner (PORTS) and an enabler of regional maritime safety coordination. Included as an ecosystem participant rather than a competitor.

Direct peers

• Chamber of Shipping of America: U.S. national maritime trade association representing shipowners and operators. Comparable as an industry association model that convenes maritime stakeholders for policy, safety, and operational coordination, though national in scope rather than regional.
• Virginia Maritime Association: Trade association representing maritime industry interests at the Port of Virginia and across the Commonwealth. Comparable in mission as an industry advocacy and coordination body serving port-region stakeholders with a similar committee-driven engagement model.
• Marine Exchange of Southern California: Membership-based maritime industry association serving the Southern California port complex with a near-identical coordination, harbor safety, and maritime information product model. Directly comparable in mission, dues-based revenue structure, and committee-driven governance.
• Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay: Long-running maritime exchange serving the Delaware River and Bay maritime community, providing vessel scheduling, port coordination, and maritime information services. Closely comparable as a regional maritime coordination body operating a similar dues model.

Emerging players

• MarineTraffic: Digital maritime intelligence platform providing real-time vessel tracking, AIS data, and port activity analytics. Comparable as a maritime data and information service provider, but operates as a venture-backed global digital platform rather than a regional association.

Broad incumbents

• American Bureau of Shipping (ABS): Global classification society providing vessel classification, statutory certification, and maritime advisory services. Comparable in maritime regulatory and safety coordination role, but operates globally and as a commercial certification body rather than a regional membership association.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sfmx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sfmx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Marine Exchange of the San Francisco Bay Region