Name

Macduff Ship Design Ltd.

Legal name

Macduff Ship Design Ltd.

Website

https://macduffshipdesign.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Stability, Weight & Load Analysis (Intact/Damage Stability, Weight Control) (IMAJAGAI), Production Design & Detailed Engineering (3D CAD, Drawings, BOM, Nesting) (IMAJAGAK), Structural & Hull Engineering (Scantlings, Fatigue, Vibration, Noise) (IMAJAGAC), Classification Society & Flag-State Liaison / Plan Approval Support (IMAJAGAN)

Keywords

• Naval architecture services
• Marine survey services
• Vessel design services
• Marine consultancy services
• Ship design solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Macduff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Naval Architecture & Marine Consultancy Services: Professional services revenue generated through providing naval architecture, design, and consultancy services to commercial marine clients. Services include full design packages, CAD drafting, stability work, and project management for vessels ranging from 6m to 50m.
2. Marine Survey Services: Survey services including workboat code surveys, condition surveys, valuation surveys, insurance surveys, fitness for purpose surveys, on/off-hire surveys, damage surveys, and UT surveys for commercial fishing, aquaculture, workboat, and yachting sectors.
3. Specification Writing & Feasibility Studies: Technical documentation and analysis services for vessel design requirements and project feasibility assessments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Macduff Ship Design Ltd. is a naval architecture and marine consultancy firm providing comprehensive professional and technical services to the commercial marine and fishing industries. The company designs vessels from 6m to 50m in length — including fishing vessels, workboats, tugs, aquaculture vessels, and pilot/patrol/crew vessels — and delivers full design packages, CAD drafting, stability analysis, specification writing, project management, conversions, and a wide range of marine survey services.

Product overview

Macduff Ship Design Ltd is a naval architecture and marine survey service company offering a comprehensive range of professional services rather than a software product company. Their core offerings include Naval Architecture & Marine Consultancy services covering Full Design Packages, Full CAD Drafting, Profiling & Kit Making, Specification Writing & Feasibility Studies, Stability Work, Lengthening, Project Management, and Conversions. Complementing their design services, they provide Marine Survey services including Workboat Code Surveys, Condition & Hull Only Surveys, Valuation Surveys, Insurance Surveys, Fitness For Purpose assessments, On and Off-Hire Surveys, Damage Surveys, and UT Surveys. The company also designs a portfolio of vessel types spanning ASD Tugs, Conventional Tugs, Aquaculture vessels, Fishing vessels (trawlers, scallopers, crabbers, longliners), Workboats, Pilot-Patrol-Crew vessels, Multi Mac vessels, and Interactive 3D vessel design presentations. With over 30 years of experience, Macduff Ship Design has delivered more than 200 vessels globally, ranging from 6m to 50m in length, serving the commercial fishing, aquaculture, workboat, and general marine sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Naval Architecture and Marine Consultancy Comprehensive professional and technical naval architecture and consultancy services for the commercial marine and fishing industries, covering both new builds and existing vessels from 6m to 50m.
• Full Design Packages Complete vessel design packages covering all aspects from concept through to detailed specifications for new vessel builds.
• Full CAD Drafting Computer-aided design drafting services for vessel designs using industry-standard CAD software.
• Profiling and Kit Making Precision profiling and kit fabrication services for vessel construction components.
• Specification Writing and Feasibility Studies Technical specification documentation and feasibility assessment services for vessel projects.
• Stability Work Specialised stability analysis including inclining and lightship checks for vessel safety compliance.
• Lengthening Vessel modification service to extend vessel length for increased capacity.
• Project Management End-to-end project management services for vessel design and construction projects.
• Conversions Vessel conversion services to modify existing vessels for new operational requirements.
• Marine Survey Services A combined suite of marine survey services covering workboat code surveys, condition and hull-only surveys, valuation surveys, insurance surveys, fitness for purpose assessments, on and off-hire surveys, damage surveys, and ultrasonic thickness (UT) surveys for vessels across commercial fishing, aquaculture, workboat, and yachting sectors.
• ASD Tug Design Bespoke naval architecture design of Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) tug vessels known for superior manoeuvrability for harbour and offshore operators.
• Aquaculture Vessel Design Specialised vessel designs for fish farming support operations, including landing craft, hybrid support vessels, and workboats for aquaculture operators.
• Fishing Vessel Design Commercial fishing vessel designs including trawlers, scallopers, crabbers, and longliners ranging from small potters to large autoliners.
• Workboat Design Multi-purpose workboat designs for general marine operations, including line handling, windfarm support, and dive support duties.
• Conventional Tug Design Traditional propeller-driven tug vessel designs for harbour and offshore towing operations.
• Pilot, Patrol and Crew Vessel Design Vessel designs for maritime pilot transfer, patrol, and crew transport operations for port authorities and maritime agencies.
• Multi Mac Vessel Design Multi-purpose Mac vessel designs combining workboat functionality with towing and escort capabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ vessels currently in operation globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, significant and supporting.

• Inverlussa Marine ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 January 2026Long-term strategic partnership spanning 10 vessel collaborations. Inverlussa Marine Services is a leading aquaculture support vessel operator in Scotland. Macduff Ship Design has designed multiple hybrid and conventional aquaculture support vessels for Inverlussa, with 'Naomi Jennifer' being the 10th collaboration. The partnership includes vessel design and development of new technology to match growth in the aquaculture industry whilst improving environmental performance.
• Macduff ShipyardscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing shipbuilding partnership with Macduff Shipyards, a Scottish shipyard with 220 employees including 40+ apprentices. The shipyard is the primary build partner for many Macduff Ship Design vessels, including the Naomi Jennifer aquaculture support vessel. Collaboration enables state-of-the-art fish farm service vessel construction in Scotland.
• Knowledge Marine and Engineering LimitedsignificantChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird successful collaboration with Knowledge Marine for 21m ASD Workboat Tugs 'River Pearl 15' and 'River Pearl 16'. Vessels were built by Synergy Shipbuilders India with Hydromaster Marine providing ASD drive units. Knowledge Marine serves as the operator/client for these vessel designs.
• SAAM Towage CanadasignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivery of 2 x 14.0m Line Handling Workboats for SAAM Towage Canada. Vessels built by Cheoy Lee Shipyard with Kort Propulsion providing propellers and Kort nozzles. Simple designs allowing multiple roles as general workboat or line handling vessel with 10T Bollard Pull.
• Tor GroupsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'Tor Boreas' - a 26.95m windfarm workboat built at Tor Group's facility in Tuzla, Turkey using modular assembly methods. The vessel features diesel electric power train, Schottel SRP 210 FP Azimuth drives, dynamic positioning capability, and gyro stabilisation for offshore wind sector operations.
• Bakkafrost ScotlandsignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner18.5m catamaran workboat 'Bradan an Eòlais' built for Bakkafrost Scotland, a major salmon farmer. The vessel is equipped with two cranes and 70 tonnes deck cargo capacity for fish farm operations across the west coast of Scotland.
• Wolfson Unit, University of SouthamptonsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnical partnership for CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) technology used in hull form development. The Wolfson Unit provided expertise to reduce hull resistance and improve propeller wake characteristics for vessels like 'Gracious'.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Aker Arctic: Aker Arctic is a Finnish naval architecture firm focused on ice-strengthened and Arctic vessels, but also designs tugs, workboats, and offshore vessels, making it a partial competitor in the small commercial vessel design space with comparable consultancy-style project delivery.
• Alamarin Marine: Alamarin Marine is a Finnish naval architecture firm specialising in small commercial vessels including pilot boats, patrol vessels, and workboats — a comparable niche designer to Macduff in the small commercial craft segment, with similar vessel size range and professional services model.

Direct peers

• Robert Allan Ltd. Robert Allan Ltd. is a Canadian naval architecture firm specialising in tugboat, barge, and workboat design — a direct competitor to Macduff Ship Design in the tug and small commercial vessel design market, with similar vessel class focus (harbour and escort tugs, ASD tugs, barge assist) and a comparable project-based professional services model.
• Glosten: Glosten is a US-based independent naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy with a comparable mid-sized firm profile, providing vessel design, marine surveying, and engineering services across workboats, tugs, ferries, and offshore vessels. It competes with Macduff on similar vessel classes and professional services delivery.
• Incat Crowther: Incat Crowther is a ship design firm specialising in high-speed ferries, offshore support vessels, and small commercial craft — overlapping with Macduff's workboat, pilot, patrol, and crew vessel categories. Both firms operate as project-based design consultancies serving shipyard and owner clients.
• OSD-IMT (Offshore Systems Design): OSD-IMT is a UK-based naval architecture firm designing patrol vessels, offshore support vessels, and workboats — directly comparable to Macduff's pilot, patrol, and offshore workboat design portfolio. Both firms operate as boutique designers serving government and commercial marine clients.

Broad incumbents

• Royal HaskoningDHV: Royal HaskoningDHV is a major international engineering consultancy with a maritime practice covering vessel design, port engineering, and marine consultancy. It overlaps with Macduff on workboat and offshore support vessel design but competes from a much larger engineering bench and broader port-side mandate.
• Damen Shipyards: Damen is a major global shipbuilder with an in-house design capability producing tugs, workboats, and patrol vessels as standardised 'Sea' series products. While primarily a builder, Damen's standard designs and integrated shipyard-model compete with Macduff for the same workboat and tug customers.
• Vard Design: Vard Design is the in-house naval architecture arm of Vard (a Fincantieri company), designing offshore service vessels, tugs, and specialised ships. As a shipyard-affiliated design house, it competes with Macduff for offshore workboat and tug design contracts where shipyard integration is valued.
• BMT Group: BMT Group is a large international maritime engineering consultancy offering naval architecture, vessel design, and marine survey services across defence, commercial, and offshore sectors. While broader in scope, it competes with Macduff for workboat, tug, and pilot vessel design commissions from larger government and commercial buyers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdWDeZAulXR5Wf6SRAMbOYg
• Facebookfacebook.com/MacduffShipDesign
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/macduff-ship-design-ltd

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 Macduff Ship Design Ltd.