What Aircat Vessels does

Aircat Vessels is a French-headquartered maritime engineering company that designs and develops Surface Effect Ship (SES) vessels — air-cushioned catamarans that lift a large proportion of hull weight out of the water to reduce hydrodynamic resistance, enabling transit speeds above 50 knots combined with active motion control. The company was founded in 2020 (with concept work from 2015) in partnership with ESNA naval architects, who provide the underlying SES platform design; AIRCAT acts as the operational interface between end users and ESNA, contributing field experience from offshore deployments. Its product portfolio spans four verticals — Oil & Gas crew transfer (AIRCAT 25, 28, 35 Crewliner, 35 Combi MC), Offshore Wind (AIRCAT 25 WindFarmer, AIRCAT Hydrogenius concept), Defence (Lynx, Jaguar, Panther, Bengal models distributed via EUREKA Naval Craft), and Passenger Ferries (AIRCAT 35 MaxPax concept) — complemented by Vessel Design, Crew Training, Project Management, and Maintenance & Technical Support services.

The business operates on a custom-engineering, project-based model: vessels are designed to client specifications, constructed through shipyard partners (notably Strategic Marine in Singapore for the AIRCAT 35 series), and sold to enterprise customers via direct sales engagement, with revenue recognized across vessel sale, design services, training, and ongoing maintenance contracts. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company is bootstrapped with no outside shareholders or institutional investors, and has a small core team (1-10 employees) backed by a Singapore subsidiary established in 2024. Its commercial track record includes the December 2024 delivery of three AIRCAT 35 Crewliners operating in the ENERGY CRAFT fleet for AES Angola / TotalEnergies Angola, an ongoing AIRCAT 28 build for a Thailand-based operator, and pre-commercial engagements across renewables and defense.

Name

Aircat Vessels

Legal name

Aircat Vessels

Website

https://aircat-vessels.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

High-Speed Offshore Crew Transfer Vessels

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (33661), Ship and Boat Building (3366)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Project Management & Owner’s Engineering / Technical Consultancy (Spec Writing, Bid Support, Site Support) (IMAJAGAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Offshore Wind & Renewable Support Vessel Construction (SOV, CTV, WTIV) (IMAJACAG), Hydrodynamics & Performance Engineering (Resistance, Propulsion, Seakeeping, Maneuvering) (IMAJAGAB), Stability, Weight & Load Analysis (Intact/Damage Stability, Weight Control) (IMAJAGAI), Safety, Risk & Compliance Engineering (SOLAS, Class Rules, HAZID/HAZOP, FMEA) (IMAJAGAJ), Patrol, Interceptor & Law-Enforcement Craft (Coast Guard, Customs) (IMAJADAD)

Keywords

• Surface effect ships
• Offshore crew transfer
• High-speed vessels
• Air-cushion catamarans
• Offshore wind vessels

Headquarters

HQ city

Bayonne

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Vessel Sales: Custom high-speed SES vessels sold to offshore operators in oil & gas, renewables, and defense sectors. Vessels are built to client specifications through shipyard partners like Strategic Marine.
2. Vessel Design Services: Custom vessel development services in partnership with ESNA naval architects. AIRCAT acts as operational interface between end user and designer.
3. Crew Training Services: Training programs for vessel handling, maneuvering, onboard systems, air cushion management, maintenance procedures, and operational best practices. Includes operational startup support for newly delivered vessels.
4. Project Management Services: Technical supervision and project management services for newbuilding, vessel modification, and refit projects. Includes construction follow-up, commissioning, sea trials, and delivery coordination.
5. Maintenance & Technical Support: Maintenance support and technical assistance services for AIRCAT SES platforms. Includes periodic technical evaluations, maintenance supervision, troubleshooting assistance, operational support, and long-term fleet monitoring.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Aircat Vessels designs, develops, and delivers custom Surface Effect Ship (SES) vessels — air-cushioned catamarans — for offshore crew transfer in oil and gas, offshore wind, naval/defense, and passenger ferry applications. The company partners with naval architects (ESNA) and shipyards (Strategic Marine) to build vessels to client specifications, and complements vessel sales with design, crew training, project management, and maintenance services.

Product overview

AIRCAT Vessels is a maritime technology company specializing in Surface Effect Ship (SES) technology — air-cushioned catamarans for offshore and commercial applications. The product portfolio includes four sectors: Oil & Gas (AIRCAT 25 Crewliner, AIRCAT 28, AIRCAT 35 Crewliner, AIRCAT 35 Combi MC), Renewables (AIRCAT 25 WindFarmer, AIRCAT Hydrogenius), Defence (Lynx, Jaguar, Panther, Bengal variants marketed via EUREKA Naval Craft), and Passenger Ferries (AIRCAT 35 MaxPax). All vessels share the core SES platform technology featuring Ride Control System (RCS) and Motion Compensation System (MCS). The portfolio is complemented by services including Vessel Design (partnered with ESNA), Crew Training, Project Management, and Maintenance & Technical Support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AIRCAT 25 Crewliner High-speed SES crew transfer vessel for offshore oil and gas personnel logistics, available in 36-seat or 54-seat configurations. Capable of transit speeds of approximately 52 knots.
• AIRCAT 28 Crewliner Custom-designed high-speed air-cushioned catamaran developed for a Thailand-based oil and gas operator. Features two main propulsion engines and is adapted to specific client operational requirements.
• AIRCAT 35 Crewliner Long-range air-cushioned crew transfer vessel for high-speed offshore oil and gas logistics. Transports up to 80 industrial personnel at speeds exceeding 50 knots.
• AIRCAT 35 Combi MC Modular crew and cargo carrier for mixed offshore logistics missions. Combines personnel transport capability with dedicated deck cargo capacity, featuring modified superstructure optimized for combined passenger and cargo transport.
• AIRCAT 25 WindFarmer High-speed air-cushioned catamaran for offshore wind farm crew transfer operations. Transports up to 24 technicians with motion compensation for safe offshore transfers.
• AIRCAT Hydrogenius Hydrogen-powered air-cushioned catamaran concept for zero-emission offshore wind operations. Conceptual design exploring hydrogen propulsion potential for next-generation crew transfer vessels.
• AIRCAT 35 MaxPax High-capacity passenger ferry concept using Surface Effect Ship (SES) platform for fast and comfortable inter-island connections and high-volume coastal passenger services. 35-meter vessel with maximum passenger capacity layout.
• AIRCAT Defence Vessels (Lynx, Jaguar, Panther, Bengal) Naval and coast guard solutions including Lynx, Jaguar, Panther, and Bengal models. Promoted and marketed through EUREKA Naval Craft partnership for next-generation maritime and defence innovation.
• Vessel Design Services Custom vessel development in partnership with ESNA naval architecture. AIRCAT acts as operational interface between end users and designers, contributing operational feedback on ergonomics, safety, and maintainability.
• Crew Training Services Crew training and operational support for SES platforms covering vessel handling, maneuvering, onboard systems, air cushion management, and maintenance procedures. Includes operational startup support and refresher courses.
• Project Management Services Project management and technical supervision for newbuilding, vessel modification, and refit projects. Covers construction follow-up, commissioning, sea trials, and delivery coordination with shipyards and classification societies.
• Maintenance & Technical Support Services Maintenance support and technical assistance for AIRCAT SES platforms including periodic evaluations, maintenance supervision, troubleshooting, operational support, and long-term fleet monitoring. Includes shore-based technical support teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• Transit speeds up to 52 knots for AIRCAT 25 Crewliner, compared to conventional crewboat speeds
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eureka Naval CraftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025U.S.-based maritime and defense innovation company formed to serve the defense sector with SES-based vessels. Eureka Naval Craft promotes defense variants (naval and coast guard models) using ESNA's Surface Effect Ship technology and AIRCAT's field-proven platforms. Bo Jardine serves as CEO of Eureka Naval Craft while also advising AIRCAT on commercial markets.
• Bo Jardine (Advisor, Commercial Markets)minorOthers · 1 January 2025North America-based advisor bringing maritime expertise from Shell (former Global Category Manager, Marine) and Eureka Naval Craft (CEO). Will play key role in expanding commercial relationships across North American and international markets.
• Strategic MarinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Shipyard partner that constructed the three AIRCAT 35 Crewliners in Singapore. Strategic Marine demonstrated exceptional expertise throughout the construction process for these 35-meter vessels achieving speeds exceeding 50 knots.
• ESNA (Espeland & Skomedal Naval Architects)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2015Long-standing partnership with ESNA, operated by advanced naval architects with extensive SES/NES experience. ESNA provides the naval architecture expertise that forms the foundation of AIRCAT vessel designs. ESNA developed the simplest, most robust, and reliable air-cushion system in the market. This partnership combines ESNA's unique SES expertise with AIRCAT's operational insights for the energy sector.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bourbon: Major offshore vessel operator serving oil & gas with crewboats, PSVs, and AHTS worldwide. Comparable to AIRCAT's O&G anchor because Bourbon represents the legacy conventional crewboat model that SES technology is positioned to disrupt.
• Swire Pacific Offshore: Large operator of offshore support vessels including crewboats serving oil & gas globally. Comparable because it is a typical incumbent buyer/operator of high-end crew transfer vessels in the same offshore O&G segment where AIRCAT has traction.
• Damen Shipyards: Major Dutch shipbuilding group with a broad portfolio including fast crew suppliers, SOVs, and patrol vessels. Comparable as a one-stop incumbent offering both design and build across segments where AIRCAT is competing with custom SES designs.
• Austal: Global shipbuilder of high-speed aluminum catamaran ferries, defense vessels, and offshore crewboats. Comparable to AIRCAT as an established multi-segment player offering overlapping high-speed platform capabilities across commercial and defense markets.
• Ulstein Design & Solutions: Norwegian ship design and shipbuilding group known for offshore and wind vessel designs. Comparable to AIRCAT because Ulstein competes in naval architecture and platform design for the same offshore wind and O&G customers.

Direct peers

• Edda Wind: Norwegian owner/operator of purpose-built CTVs and SOVs serving the European offshore wind market. Directly comparable to AIRCAT's WindFarmer positioning as a specialist high-speed crew transfer platform for offshore wind technicians.
• Incat Tasmania: Australian builder of large high-speed catamaran ferries and crew transfer vessels. Directly comparable because Incat delivers very high-speed aluminum catamarans (including crewboat variants) into the same offshore and ferry segments AIRCAT targets.
• ESVAGT: Leading European provider of offshore service vessels including SOVs and CTVs for the offshore wind sector. Highly comparable to AIRCAT because both address the same offshore personnel-transfer use case with high-performance vessels targeting energy operators.

Emerging players

• Strategic Marine: Singapore-based shipyard that built the AIRCAT 35 series and also builds crewboats, ferries, and offshore support vessels for third parties. Comparable because it sits in the same niche of high-speed aluminum vessel construction and competes for similar offshore operator contracts.

Others

• Eureka Naval Craft: U.S.-based defense startup commercializing the AIRCAT SES platform for naval and coast guard markets. Comparable as an adjacent channel partner that brings AIRCAT's technology into the defense segment through a separate corporate entity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aircat-vessels

Compliance1 record

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 Aircat Vessels