Intertidal

What Intertidal does

Intertidal Ltd. is a UK-based private environmental services firm that operates amphibious hovercraft to conduct surveys, sampling, and analytical work for scientific, environmental, and engineering projects around the UK. Founded in 1998 and headquartered at The Boatyard, Barrow Haven on the Humber Estuary, the company runs a 1-10 person team with nearly 40 years of combined hovercraft operating experience. Its core offering is field survey delivery using a purpose-built survey hovercraft capable of operating at all states of tide and accessing intertidal mudflats, sandbanks, estuaries, harbours, rivers and coastal areas that are inaccessible to conventional vessels or foot access, with a payload of up to 300 kg plus a driver and two personnel.

The company's service portfolio spans hovercraft-based sediment and water sampling (including vacuum coring of soft sediments), habitat mapping for seagrass, macroalgae and saltmarsh, topographic mapping via terrestrial laser scanning (Lidar), photographic surveys of marine infrastructure, and drone-based multi-spectral imagery using quadcopter and fixed-wing UAVs launched from the hovercraft platform. It also offers accredited laboratory analytical services (chemical, physical and ecological analysis) inherited from its origins as part of a leading UK testing laboratory, plus sampling scheme design, sample preparation, data handling and reporting.

Commercially, Intertidal runs a sales-led, project-based professional services model with quote-based pricing tailored to client requirements. Customer segments include environmental regulation agencies, civil engineering and energy companies, ports and harbour authorities, local authorities, environmental and engineering consultancies, universities and research institutions, and charities (the latter at reduced rates for conservation work). Marketing is passive, relying on industry reputation, a website enquiry form and direct client engagement, with no disclosed funding events, M&A activity, or aggressive expansion signals.

Name

Intertidal

Legal name

Intertidal Ltd.

Website

https://intertidal.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Intertidal is a UK private firm providing amphibious hovercraft-based surveys, sediment and water sampling, drone aerial mapping, and accredited laboratory analysis for environmental, engineering, port, local authority and academic clients across the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Barrow Upon Humber

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, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Hovercraft Survey Services: Professional survey services using amphibious hovercraft for environmental, scientific and engineering projects. Services include sediment and water sampling, habitat mapping, topographic surveys, and drone-based aerial surveys. Pricing appears quote-based, tailored to specific project requirements.
2. Analytical Services: Laboratory facilities for chemical, physical and ecological analysis to recognised accredited standards, formerly part of a leading UK testing laboratory. Also includes assistance with sampling scheme design, sample preparation, data handling and reporting.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Intertidal deploys amphibious hovercraft as a mobile survey and sampling platform across intertidal mudflats, sandbanks, estuaries, harbours, rivers and coastal waters to collect sediment and water samples and to mount drone operations, paired with accredited laboratory analysis for chemical, physical and ecological parameters. Services are sold on a project basis to environmental regulators, civil engineering and energy firms, ports, local authorities, consultancies, universities and conservation charities across the UK.

Product overview

Intertidal provides a unified service combining amphibious hovercraft-based field surveys with laboratory analytical services. The core offering is Hovercraft Survey Services, which serves as a mobile platform for sediment and water sampling, habitat mapping, and drone-based aerial surveys. Supporting services include Analytical Services (chemical, physical, and ecological laboratory analysis) and Sampling Scheme Design and Optimisation. The company operates across the whole of the UK, serving environmental regulation agencies, engineering companies, ports, local authorities, universities, and research institutions. The hovercraft can be deployed from slipways, beaches, flood banks, or via crane, enabling access to otherwise difficult terrain including intertidal mudflats, sandbanks, and shallow water areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hovercraft Survey Services
• Analytical Services
• Sampling Scheme Design and Optimisation

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1000 hovercraft surveys completed across the UK
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 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

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• APEM Ltd: UK-based scientific environmental consultancy specialising in aquatic ecology, freshwater and marine surveys, and environmental impact assessments. Direct peer due to overlap in environmental field survey services for a similar UK regulator, infrastructure, and conservation client base.
• ABPmer: UK-based marine environmental consultancy providing coastal and marine environmental assessment, metocean studies, and habitat surveys. Direct peer given similar marine/coastal environmental survey focus and overlapping port authority and regulator clients.
• Gardline: UK-headquartered marine survey company providing offshore and coastal geophysical, geotechnical, and environmental surveys. Direct peer in marine survey services for similar energy and infrastructure client segments, though operating at much larger scale.
• Thomson Environmental Consultants: UK-based ecological consultancy providing habitat surveys, protected species assessments, and environmental monitoring. Direct peer in field-based environmental survey services for developers, infrastructure clients, and local authorities.

Broad incumbents

• HR Wallingford: Established UK-based civil engineering and environmental hydraulics research organisation. Comparable in water/environmental research services but with a much broader scope, larger headcount, and R&D focus rather than niche field survey delivery.
• Fugro: Global leader in geo-data services including marine site characterisation and environmental surveys. Broad incumbent in marine and coastal survey services, with overlapping capabilities but operating at vastly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• WSP: Global professional services firm with major environmental and marine practices including coastal engineering and environmental assessment. Broad incumbent that competes in overlapping project scopes, particularly on large infrastructure and government programmes.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with environmental services practice spanning water resources, marine ecology, and environmental impact assessment. Broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities across the full project lifecycle.
• Royal HaskoningDHV: Dutch-headquartered global engineering consultancy with significant environmental, water, and maritime practices. Broad incumbent offering overlapping environmental survey, coastal engineering, and consulting services.
• Jacobs: Global professional services firm with major environmental and water practices serving government and infrastructure clients. Broad incumbent with overlapping environmental and infrastructure survey capabilities, particularly on large public-sector frameworks.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/intertidal-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Intertidal