The ship manager United Offshore Support (UOS), formerly part of the Leer-based shipping group Hartmann, has a new co-owner in Evangelos Marinakis.
The financial investor Hayfin is selling 50% of the shares in UOS to Capital Offshore, a subsidiary of the Capital Maritime Group of the Greek shipowner Evangelos Marinakis. A binding agreement to this effect – which is still subject to the usual regulatory approvals – was announced now. Following completion of the transaction, the ship manager will operate under the name UOS Capital GmbH.
“Both parties recognize the benefits of combining their respective fleets and expertise to create an international company for the commercial and technical management of vessels in the offshore sector,” the statement reads. Capital Offshore’s vessels are to be placed under the management of UOS Capital. The same applies to the newbuild series of twelve PSV and MPSV supply vessels, which are to be delivered by the shipyard in China in 2026 and 2027. The fleet will then comprise more than 30 anchor handling, platform supply and underwater supply vessels under UOS management. In the long term, a “scalable platform” is to be established.
UOS was established in the past as the offshore chartering company of Leer-based Hartmann AG. It was responsible for the commercial management of a fleet of anchor handling tugs (AHTS), which the shipping company had to part with in 2017.
Capital Offshore was set up by Marinakis in 2023 and initiated the newbuild series shortly afterwards. In addition to some controversial commitments in professional soccer, he is primarily known as a shipowner for tankers and container ships. It is not yet known how much he is paying for half of the stake in UOS.
Andreas Povlsen, Managing Director and Head of the Maritime Team at Hayfin, said: “As a long-standing strategic partner of UOS, we have supported the company’s growth over the past seven years. We are delighted that UOS is now entering the next phase of its development with this transaction. The joint venture with Capital Offshore will enable both companies to capitalize on their highly complementary offerings and build a ship management platform with potential for further growth and value creation.”
Howard Woodcock, CEO of UOS, said: “The formation of UOS Capital marks the beginning of a new chapter in the development of our business. By combining our heritage and expertise with Capital Offshore’s expanding fleet, including newbuildings under construction using the latest technologies, we are building a company with international reach and resilience that can deliver long-term value to clients and stakeholders.” Harry Knox, COO of Capital Offshore, added: “UOS Capital will be well positioned to serve all its clients safely and securely, combining the strong maritime experience and knowledge of Capital Maritime Group with the offshore-focused operating culture and heritage that UOS has built up over many years.”
