Safehaven Marine
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Boat building |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Headquarters | Youghal, County Cork, Ireland |
Key people | Frank Kowalski |
| Services | Pilot boats, S.A.R. boats, naval craft, and leisure yachts |
| Website | safehavenmarine |
Safehaven Marine is a boat-building company based in Youghal, County Cork, Ireland.[1][2] Founded in 1998 by Frank Kowalski, the company designs and builds pilot boats, patrol boats, naval vessels, workboats, and luxury yachts.[3][4][5][6][7]
History
Safehaven Marine was founded in 1998, initially building commercial workboats, including passenger vessels, fishing boats, and dive boats.[3][4][5][6][7]
In 2005, the company started to build pilot and patrol boats after winning a tender to design and develop a pilot boat for the Port of Cork.[1][5]
By 2008, the company expanded its production facilities with a new factory to meet the increased demand.[3] Safehaven Marine has supplied vessels to international clients, including The British Navy, The Polish Navy, P&O Maritime Logistics, Boluda Towage, Maersk and DP World.[2][4][5][6][7]
Safehaven Marine has delivered vessels to 38 countries and pilot boats to ports worldwide.[3][4] Major ports operate the company’s pilot boats, including Jebel Ali Tangier Med, Port of Southampton, and multiple others across Europe, Asia, North America, South America, and Africa.[1][2][6]
Products
Safehaven Marine builds FRP boats ranging from 11 to 22 meters in length. The company manufactures pilot boats, search & rescue boats (S.A.R.), patrol boats,[1] fast Naval Interceptors, including the unique (patented hull) XSV20, and hydrographic research catamarans.[2][6] The company recently expanded its range to include luxury private yachts, notably the T-2000 Voyager, launched in 2024.[5]
Selected achievements and media coverage
Safehaven Marine has set multiple UIM (Union International Motonautique) world records for endurance and speed with its vessels, including:
- The XSV17 Thunder Child set the fastest circumnavigation of Ireland and Rockall in 2017.[3][7]
- The XSV20 completed a 1,000-nautical-mile voyage from Ireland to Iceland. and Cork-Fastnet- Cork UIM record in 2021.[3][6][7]
The company was also featured in media and documentaries for testing their boats in extreme conditions, including:
- Storms at Sea (Discovery Channel, 2009).[2]
- Daily Planet documentary series (2015).
- Cork Mega Port series (TV3, 2014).
References
- ^ a b c d "In Youghal, one businessman prays for storms to test his high-speed 'stealth boats'". Fora.ie. 2017-03-19. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
- ^ a b c d e Ldn-Post (2025-03-19). "Safehaven Marine: Pushing Boundaries in Leisure and Commercial Vessel Design Through Real-World Testing".. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
- ^ a b c d e f "Watch: Safehaven Marine releases footage of new boat test". echo live. 2020-02-05. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
- ^ a b c d Admin, P. B. R. (2016-03-03). "Barracuda by Safehaven Marine". Powerboat and RIB. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
- ^ a b c d e "Facing the Storm: Safehaven Marine's Extreme Rough Weather Testing". 2025-03-11. Retrieved 2025-07-16
- ^ a b c d e f "Safehaven Marine's Engineering Excellence: Tested in Extreme Real-World Conditions ". 2025-03-11. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
- ^ a b c d e "Safehaven Marine's Record-Breaking Voyages: Engineering Tested in Challenging Conditions - Business News". 2025-06-18. Retrieved 2025-07-16.