Hamburg, 05.01.2024
Today, the Schulte Group unveiled its strategic collaboration with sea chefs Holding, marking a significant milestone in their synergistic journey. sea chefs is a leading partner to shipping companies and tour operators in the cruise industry that provides world-class hotel, catering, and crew management, on board both ocean-going and river cruise ships. This strategic alliance empowers customers of sea chefs with significant benefits, leveraging its own crewing agencies, training centers, and a robust global partnership. All of this is achieved while preserving the essence of a family-owned business.
Ian Beveridge, CEO of the Schulte Group states: “We are pleased with our strategic partnership with sea chefs, a collaboration that holds great promise for mutual success. The services supplied by sea chefs are complementary to what the Schulte Group currently offers to the cruise industry, such as newbuilding supervision, technical management, crew management, ship supply services, underwater inspection, repair and maintenance, and software solutions. Together, we can offer customers an even greater range of products and services, to support their business growth”
The Schulte Group, whose main business areas are ship owning and ship management, has been successfully expanding its footprint in the cruise industry for the last decade. Schulte Group member BSM Cruise Services offers quality ship management for 15 cruise vessels. With Rescompany and OnboarD, the Schulte Group controls two digital solutions providers dedicated to the cruise industry. The group also only recently became active in yacht management. Within the scope of the newly established partnership, the Schulte Group and sea chefs will be able to provide a fully integrated service offering of crew, technical, and hotel mangement to customers.
sea chefs CEO Michael Knauer adds: “We are delighted to have the Schulte Group join us as a strategic partner in our journey. With the group as a strong and committed shareholder, sea chefs is setting the course for sustainable growth. With the combined expertise and scale, we will have the opportunity to explore new markets and further enhance our product portfolio to the benefit of our customers.”
The Schulte Group acquires 50 % of sea chefs Holding. This strategic move allows sea chefs to maintain full independence - sea chef's existing shareholders will continue their involvement - ensuring stability, and there are no anticipated changes in the executive leadership.
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About Schulte Group
The Schulte Group is an international, family-owned holding of companies specialising in ship owning, ship management, maritime software solutions, maritime services and asset management. With over 140 years of expertise in the industry, the Schulte Group controls a modern and diversified fleet of 80 fully or partly owned vessels and manages over 650 ships. Through its global network of more than 30 offices in major shipping locations, the Schulte Group employs over 20,000 seafarers and 3,000 people on shore.
About sea chefs Group
sea chefs is one of the world's leading partners of cruise lines and tour operators, providing high-end hotel, catering, spa and crew management onboard seagoing and river cruise vessels. From conception and planning through supply and logistics to perfect implementation in daily operations, sea chefs creates smooth processes and first-class service on board both ocean-going and river cruise ships. The key to this is the long-standing and close cooperation with their customers and their crew on board. The family owned group employs more than 15,000 crew on board the vessels under sea chefs’ management and more than 200 employees ashore, in their offices in Europe.