JBR M&A transaction

Seacontractors Sells Its Workboat Operations to Jifmar

JBR served as M&A advisor to Seacontractors during the carve-out and sale of its workboat operations to Jifmar.

The deal team at JBR Corporate Finance consists of: Rick ter Maat, Alexander Beyleveldt, and Levi Schuurman.

Seacontractors Sells Its Workboat Operations to Jifmar

JBR advised Seacontractors throughout the entire process surrounding the carve-out and sale of its workboat operations.

The French company Jifmar is acquiring Seacontractors’ workboat operations. Seacontractors’ workboat fleet consists of 15 vessels, primarily operating in the Persian Gulf and East Africa. The Middle East office and local employees have also been transferred to Jifmar as part of the transaction.

Facts and figures

Seacontractors

Seacontractors is a leading provider of maritime services. With a fleet of 8 Anchor Handling Tugs (AHT) and Multi-Purpose Vessels (MPV), operating in more than 95 countries, Seacontractors focuses on the oil & gas, salvage, towage, renewables, and maritime infrastructure sectors.

Seacontractors was founded in 2004 and is based in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. The company has a track record spanning more than 15 years and has grown to become the world’s largest Shoalbuster operator, active on five continents.
Seacontractors offers a wide range of maritime services, including anchor handling, terminal towage, and deep-sea/coastal towage, serving sectors such as oil & gas, salvage, towage, renewables, and maritime infrastructure (including ship and terminal handling). The fleet consists of Anchor Handling Tugs (AHT/AHTS) and Multi-Purpose Vessels with a bollard pull ranging from 70 to 200 metric tons.
Seacontractors currently has more than 150 employees and operates worldwide, with projects in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and the Indian Ocean, among other regions.

Jifmar

Jifmar Group is one of the global market leaders among independent workboat operators. Headquartered in Aix-en-Provence, France, the Group supports offshore wind farm operators, tidal and wave farm operators, marine construction and engineering companies, the offshore oil and gas industry, and the defense sector.

Jifmar Offshore Services was founded in 2005 and has since grown into a French marine contractor that operates modern and versatile multipurpose DP vessels, barges, and ROVs. With the acquisitions of the workboat operations of Acta Marine in 2023 and Seacontractors in 2025, the Group has reached a major milestone and has become the world’s largest independent workboat operator;
Jifmar offers its services through two core business units: Chartering and Industrial Solutions (turnkey solutions, long-term O&M, and industrial logistics), supplemented by vessel management, subsea solutions (including ROVs), and engineering. The Group operates in the energy, infrastructure, sustainable transport, defense, and aquaculture sectors, serving clients such as ArianeGroup, TotalEnergies, DEME, Boskalis, Perenco, and Van Oord;
Jifmar currently has more than 800 employees and operates a fleet of more than 80 vessels.

Jifmar logo

November 24, 2025

Press Release

Jifmar Group and Seacontractors finalize the transfer of the workboat fleet

Jifmar strengthens its global leadership in shallow-draft maritime operations. Aix-en-Provence, France & Vlissingen, the Netherlands: Jifmar Group and Seacontractors announced today the completion of the transfer of Seacontractors’ fleet of 15 workboats, following the agreement signed on August 28, 2025. As of November 19, 2025, the vessels and their crews will officially join Jifmar, marking a significant step in the Group’s expansion across the Middle East and Indian Ocean regions.

The transaction includes a six-month transfer services agreement under which Seacontractors will continue to support fleet operations, ensuring continuity for clients and a seamless handover of ongoing projects. The team at the Dubai office and the seafaring crew assigned to the fleet will transfer to Jifmar and continue to fulfill their current commitments going forward.

With this acquisition, Jifmar Group now operates a fleet of 84 vessels, including 26 units based in the Middle East and the Indian Ocean, solidifying its position as the leading global operator of shallow-draft workboats. The expanded fleet strengthens Jifmar’s ability to deliver turnkey maritime solutions to the energy and coastal infrastructure industries.

Jifmar will also use its strengthened presence in the Middle East to expand its industrial solutions in the region.

This deeper local presence will enable the Group to accelerate the rollout of its industrial services, provide stronger support to key clients, and further strengthen its long-term commitment to this rapidly growing market.

Jean-Michel Berud – CEO of Jifmar Group: “This closing marks a new chapter for Jifmar. By integrating this fleet and its experienced crews, we are expanding our operational presence in key regions and strengthening our ability to support clients with reliable, versatile, and efficient assets. Our ambition is to continue setting the benchmark for workboat performance worldwide.”
Xander Schanssema – Owner of Seacontractors: “We are pleased to finalize this transition with Jifmar; their global expertise in shallow-draft operations ensures that our former fleet and crews will thrive under a group fully dedicated to this segment. This step accelerates the implementation of Seacontractors’ strategic repositioning in the offshore market, with the Sea Banckert and Sea Evertsen having recently been added to the fleet.”

The combination of Jifmar’s global network and the proven track record of Seacontractors’ workboats enhances the Group’s ability to support a wide range of missions, from shallow-draft towing and coastal construction support to nearshore energy projects. This strengthened presence creates a platform for further growth across Eastern regions, where demand for versatile and robust workboat solutions is steadily increasing.