Voly acquires Oceanskies in latest move to expand yacht crew services
Voly has acquired yacht crew employment, payroll and registration specialist Oceanskies in its fourth acquisition since 2023, taking the number of crew administered under the group's umbrella to more than 10,000.
The Manchester-headquartered software and crew-services business said the deal would bring Oceanskies' employment and payroll operations together with Voly Crew, creating a combined offering covering crew employment, payroll, payments, hours of rest and compliance.
Oceanskies, which was founded in 2013, administers the employment of approximately 5,000 crew for yacht owners and management companies. The business operates from Guernsey, Jersey, Malta and the UK, and also has a presence in Dubai.
The acquisition follows Voly's purchases of Pinpoint Works in February 2023, Voyonic Crewing – subsequently rebranded as Voly Crew – in September 2024, and Workrest in December 2024.
"We have long admired what Duncan and the Oceanskies team have built," said Ian Flanagan, founder and chief executive of Voly. "Their expertise in crew employment, payroll and registration is exceptional, and they join a Voly Crew team that already carries decades of experience."
Oceanskies co-founder Duncan Swanson said the acquisition represented the "right moment" for the company to join a larger business, adding that clients would retain continuity and specialist support while gaining access to greater technology and investment.
Voly said there would be no immediate changes for Oceanskies clients, with integration and enhancements to follow.
The deal forms part of Voly's broader strategy to consolidate a fragmented superyacht software market. The company said specialist software currently reaches fewer than a fifth of the world's yachts, with many vessels still relying on spreadsheets and multiple single-purpose systems.
Voly provides software and services spanning yacht accounting, treasury and payments, charter and APA administration, refit and project management, and crew employment and compliance. Its technology is used on more than 1,700 vessels worldwide, while the group employs more than 200 people.
"With more than 10,000 crew now administered under the Voly umbrella, continued investment in our crew solutions, in time, people and money, is an absolute priority," Flanagan said.
Tom Matthews, partner at private equity firm Magenta Partners, which has backed Voly since acquiring a controlling interest in 2021, described Oceanskies as the most significant of the group's four acquisitions to date.
"It brings a high-quality recurring revenue base, deepens an already strong position in crew services, and takes Voly close to a proposition no competitor in yachting can match," he said.
Voly said it remains open to further acquisitions as it seeks to bring more aspects of yacht management onto a single platform.
This article was originally published by Boat International. Read the full article on Boat International →