RESQSHIP
RESQSHIP e.V. is a Hamburg-based German non-profit founded in 2017 that operates the 19-meter sailing vessel NADIR to conduct humanitarian search, rescue, and observation missions for refugees and migrants in distress in the central Mediterranean Sea, funded by donations, supporting memberships, and institutional grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersHamburg, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What RESQSHIP does
RESQSHIP e.V. is a Hamburg-based German non-profit association (eingetragener Verein), founded in 2017, that conducts humanitarian search, observation, and rescue missions in the central Mediterranean Sea using a single 19-meter motor sailer named NADIR. The vessel carries medical supplies, rescue equipment, and communication systems, and is operated by seven-person volunteer crews that deploy on roughly ten three-week missions per year, assisting refugees and migrants in distress on unseaworthy boats. In 2025, RESQSHIP completed ten missions and assisted 1,855 people across 32 boats, with over 950 people receiving medical treatment cumulatively over the prior two years. The organization's secondary function is the documentation and witnessing of human rights violations at the EU's external border, including pushbacks by the Libyan coastguard and arbitrary Italian detentions of the vessel.
The organization operates with a minimal permanent staff (two full-time employees and one minijob position) plus 58 ordinary association members and a wider volunteer base that crews the missions and runs five local grassroots chapters (Hamburg, Augsburg, Leipzig, Freiburg, Rhine-Main). Revenue is generated entirely through donations and membership fees across five streams: individual donations (one-time and recurring via direct bank transfer or website), supporting memberships (monthly commitments), institutional grants, charity auctions through eBay Charity, and gift donation certificates. Major institutional funders in 2024 included the Auswärtiges Amt (111,728.71 EUR, 24% of budget) and United for Rescue (80,000 EUR, 17%). The organization is the sole shareholder of HR Sailing gGmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary that holds maritime operational assets.
RESQSHIP's go-to-market is community-led and awareness-driven rather than commercial, relying on its website (resqship.org), newsletters, social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Bluesky), earned media, and public events such as the Scirocco Festival and Run for Rescue. Partnerships include inter-NGO coordination with Sea-Watch, Seebrücke, and Alarmphone (Watch the Med), volunteer craftsmanship from Grünhelme during winter shipyard maintenance, and visibility through the 24 Good Deeds e.V. Advent calendar. The organization's competitive positioning is anchored in the symbolic naming of the vessel (after a criminalized refugee), a volunteer-only crew model, membership in the Initiative Transparente Zivilgesellschaft for transparency, and high-profile endorsements from figures including Udo Lindenberg and FC St. Pauli.
RESQSHIP firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RESQSHIP
- Legal name
- RESQSHIP e.V.
- Website
- https://resqship.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- RESQSHIP e.V. is a Hamburg-based German non-profit founded in 2017 that operates the 19-meter sailing vessel NADIR to conduct humanitarian search, rescue, and observation missions for refugees and migrants in distress in the central Mediterranean Sea, funded by donations, supporting memberships, and institutional grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RESQSHIP industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Sea Rescue Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Search & Rescue (Urban/Water/Wilderness) Coordination (HLAJAGAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)
Keywords
Where RESQSHIP is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
RESQSHIP business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting sea rescue operations. Direct bank transfers to GLS Gemeinschaftsbank and online donation forms.
- Supporting Membership: Monthly donation commitments from supporting members that enable reliable planning. Members receive regular information and have participation rights at association meetings.
- Institutional Funding: Grants from government agencies and foundations including Auswärtiges Amt (111,728.71€ in 2024) and United for Rescue (80,000€ in 2024).
- Charity Auctions: Online auctions through eBay Charity featuring signed vinyl records and merchandise from musicians and public figures, with proceeds supporting rescue operations.
- Gift Donations: Donation gift certificates, thank you cards, and Christmas cards that can be purchased and gifted to support the organization.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time | Life jacket for person in distress at sea |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Boat fuel for tender per mission |
| Unit Pricing | One time | First aid treatment for chemical burns |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Ship gearbox repair |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
RESQSHIP product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RESQSHIP e.V. is a German non-profit humanitarian organization that operates the 19-meter motor sailer NADIR to conduct search, observation, and rescue missions in the central Mediterranean Sea for people in distress, primarily refugees and migrants attempting the sea crossing. The organization provides direct life-saving rescue, medical treatment aboard the vessel, documentation of human rights situations, and advocacy, funded by donations, supporting memberships, and grants.
Product overview
RESQSHIP is a German humanitarian NGO operating a single-vessel sea rescue operation. The organization's core offering is search and observation missions conducted aboard the 19-meter motor sailer NADIR in the central Mediterranean. Supporting services include donation collection through its website (via FundraisingBox integration), supporting membership programs, gift donation cards, annual calendars, and periodic charity auctions via eBay. The organization maintains a network of local volunteer groups across German cities that support fundraising and public awareness activities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,855 people assisted on 32 boats in 2025 alone
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use RESQSHIP
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
RESQSHIP technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
RESQSHIP partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- HR Sailing gGmbHcoreRESQSHIP e.V. is the sole shareholder (Alleingesellschafter) of HR Sailing gGmbH, a subsidiary company presumably established to hold or operate maritime assets.
- Seebrücke InitiativecoreLocal groups work closely with Seebrücke (Schafft sichere Häfen!) initiative for safe harbor cities. Joint activities including demonstrations, information stands, and public events.
- GrünhelmeminorVolunteer craftsmen providing support during winter shipyard maintenance of NADIR. Eight weeks of skilled labor alongside RESQSHIP volunteers.
- 24 Good Deeds e.V.minorRESQSHIP selected as one of 24 social projects featured in the Advent calendar, receiving visibility and donations through the campaign.
- BetterplaceminorThird-party donation platform hosting RESQSHIP's fundraising project with Advent matching campaigns (25% increase on donations up to 100€).
- Sea-WatchminorCo-organizing press events (e.g., Pope Leo XIV press point on Lampedusa) and Run for Rescue fundraising events.
- Alarmphone (Watch the Med)minorOrganization receiving distress calls from boats. Coordinate with RESQSHIP during operations and co-organize Run for Rescue events.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
RESQSHIP competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sea-Watch e.V. German non-profit operating civil sea rescue vessels in the central Mediterranean. Closest direct peer — both organizations rescue migrants from distress at sea, share German donor bases, and have formal financial partnership ties (Sea-Watch funded RESQSHIP with €90,000 in 2023).
- Proactiva Open Arms: Spanish non-profit operating rescue vessels in the central Mediterranean. Direct peer in mission and operational model; differs in national base and earlier public confrontations with European authorities.
- Watch the Med / Alarmphone: Direct peer organization coordinating distress calls and coordinating with rescue vessels including RESQSHIP's NADIR. Functions as a hotline that dispatches to sea rescue NGOs in the same operating theater.
- SOS Méditerranée: European maritime-humanitarian organization operating rescue vessels (formerly Aquarius) in the central Mediterranean. Directly comparable mission, vessel-based operations, and European donor base.
- MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station): International maritime-humanitarian organization operating rescue vessels in the Mediterranean. Direct peer in mission; differs in international (non-German) origin and professionalized operational model.
- Mission Lifeline e.V. German non-profit operating a rescue vessel (Lifeline) in the Mediterranean. Direct peer with shared German NGO base, donation-driven funding, and history of regulatory confrontations with European authorities.
- Sea-Eye e.V. German non-profit operating civil sea rescue vessels in the Mediterranean. Direct peer with similar vessel-based rescue operations, German organizational base, and donation-driven funding model.
- Mare Liberum e.V. German non-profit focused on observation and documentation of human rights violations in the Mediterranean using civilian vessels. Closely aligned with RESQSHIP's dual rescue-and-witness mission.
Broad incumbents
- Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): Larger international humanitarian organization that conducts medical operations aboard rescue vessels in the Mediterranean. Broader portfolio, but overlapping medical-rescue capability and human rights documentation function.
Emerging players
- Seebrücke (Schafft sichere Häfen!): German advocacy movement for safe harbors that partners directly with RESQSHIP. Adjacent mission focused on policy and public mobilization rather than vessel-based rescue; comparable grassroots community-led model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
RESQSHIP social profiles
Digital presenceRESQSHIP financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RESQSHIP leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
RESQSHIP subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
RESQSHIP funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RESQSHIP 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 RESQSHIP
What does RESQSHIP do?
RESQSHIP e.V. is a German non-profit humanitarian organization that operates the 19-meter motor sailer NADIR to conduct search, observation, and rescue missions in the central Mediterranean Sea for people in distress, primarily refugees and migrants attempting the sea crossing. The organization provides direct life-saving rescue, medical treatment aboard the vessel, documentation of human rights situations, and advocacy, funded by donations, supporting memberships, and grants.
Is RESQSHIP a public or private company?
RESQSHIP is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was RESQSHIP founded?
RESQSHIP was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is RESQSHIP based?
RESQSHIP is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does RESQSHIP make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are supporting Membership, institutional Funding, charity Auctions and gift Donations.
Who are RESQSHIP's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sea-Watch e.V., Proactiva Open Arms, Watch the Med / Alarmphone, SOS Méditerranée, MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station), Mission Lifeline e.V., Sea-Eye e.V. and Mare Liberum e.V.. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is listed as a broad incumbent. Seebrücke (Schafft sichere Häfen!) is listed as an emerging player.
Does RESQSHIP have an API?
No public API is recorded for RESQSHIP.
What industry is RESQSHIP in?
RESQSHIP's product category is Humanitarian Sea Rescue Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAGAJ, Search & Rescue (Urban/Water/Wilderness) Coordination, with a secondary code of BPADAEAK, Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming. Its NAICS code is 4883.