New & Used Commercial Marine Equipment For Sale

Commercial marine equipment covers any vessel, craft or floating structure operated for commercial rather than leisure purposes. The category includes merchant ships (cargo, tankers, container ships, bulk carriers), workboats (tugs, pilot boats, crew transfer vessels), fishing vessels, passenger ferries, offshore support vessels for oil/gas/wind, barges, dredgers and floating cranes. All commercial vessels must be registered with a flag state, surveyed by a classification society and operated under MARPOL, SOLAS and STCW conventions, plus any trade or nation-specific requirements.

The commercial vessel market is global, fragmented and broker-heavy. The Commercial Trader provides a clear, searchable marketplace where buyers compare options and contact sellers directly, without trawling multiple broker sites.

• Global reach, single platform: listings come from sellers across the UK, Europe, the Mediterranean, Baltic and beyond.
• Direct seller contact: full seller details on each listing for faster decisions and clearer negotiation.
• Wide vessel range: from sub-10m inshore craft through to 40,000+ DWT bulk carriers and ferry tonnage.
• Established builders represented: listings frequently feature vessels from Damen, Wartsila-powered ships, Rolls-Royce-engined craft and other recognised builders.

Most commercial shipping transactions involve second-hand vessels for strong commercial reasons:

• Far lower capital cost: used vessels typically cost a fraction of newbuild price, particularly in mid-life tonnage.
• Immediate earning potential: ready-to-trade vessels can enter charter contracts or operational service within weeks rather than years.
• Proven track record: operating history, survey reports and class records give a clear picture of maintenance and performance.
• Market liquidity: an established second-hand market makes resale straightforward when needs change.
• Flexible finance: banks and ship finance houses understand the used market and can structure lending against hull value.

Fishing boats

Fishing boats range from sub-10m inshore day boats through to 30m+ deep-sea trawlers. In UK fisheries, licensing, track record and quota allocations often carry more value than the hull itself.

Dry tonnage

Dry tonnage vessels cover non-liquid cargoes, including general cargo ships, multipurpose vessels (MPP), bulk carriers (handysize, handymax, supramax, panamax, capesize), container feeders and heavy-lift ships. Ice-classed vessels (1A, 1B) support northern European and Baltic trades.

Wet tonnage

Wet tonnage vessels include oil product tankers, chemical tankers, bitumen carriers and small coastal tankers. Always check classification, last special survey, coating condition and any type II/III chemical tanker certification against your intended cargoes.

Off-shore vessels

Off-shore vessels cover platform supply vessels (PSV), anchor handling tugs (AHT/AHTS), crew transfer vessels (CTV) and service operation vessels (SOV) for oil, gas and offshore wind. Dynamic positioning rating (DP1/DP2) significantly affects value and charter eligibility.

Barges and dredgers

Barges and dredgers serve port operations, marine construction, dredging projects and heavy-lift work. Spud barges, hopper barges, trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHD) and cutter suction dredgers (CSD) all feature.

Ro-Pax ferries

Ro-Pax ferries carry both roll-on/roll-off freight and passengers, serving short and medium-haul routes. Passenger capacity, lane metres and SOLAS compliance are the key specification points.

• Classification and survey status: confirm the classification society (DNV, Lloyd’s Register, ABS, BV, ClassNK), last special survey date and outstanding conditions of class.
• Flag state: some flags are easier and cheaper to register under than others. Consider crewing rules, port state control risk and tax implications.
• Deadweight tonnage and capacity: DWT measures cargo-carrying capacity; gross tonnage (GT) measures enclosed volume. Check both against your intended trade.
• Engine condition and fuel type: main engine hours, condition report and fuel type (HFO, MGO, LNG, methanol-capable) materially affect operating economics and future compliance.
• Emissions compliance: IMO 2020 sulphur cap, CII (Carbon Intensity Indicator) rating and EEXI status are increasingly important, especially for ocean-going tonnage.
• Hull condition and coating: thickness measurements, hull corrosion and tank coating condition directly affect time to next drydock and future maintenance costs.

• Shipping and logistics: operators running cargo, container and bulk services for domestic and international trade.
• Fishing and aquaculture: commercial fishing fleets, shellfish operators and aquaculture support vessels serve the UK’s coastal economy.
• Offshore energy: oil, gas and offshore wind operators relying on specialist support tonnage for field operations and maintenance.
• Ports, harbours and marine construction: tugs, pilot boats and crane vessels supporting port operations, marine civils and coastal defence.
• Ferries and passenger services: short-sea routes, islands and estuarine crossings.
• Government, naval auxiliary and research: hydrographic, research and naval support vessels often come to market through the same brokered channels as merchant tonnage.

Commercial shipping is inherently international, and our listings reflect that. Vessels are listed from the UK, Ireland, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, Baltic, Middle East and further afield. Use our distance filter to find vessels near your home port, or expand globally for the right specification.

Well-maintained commercial vessels routinely trade for 25-30 years, with many operating beyond this with regular drydocking and special surveys. Working life varies by vessel type: tugs and workboats often operate for 35-40+ years; bulk carriers and container ships are typically scrapped at 20-25 years as emissions and fuel economics change.

Commercial vessel purchases are governed by the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between buyer and seller, typically based on NSF (Norwegian Saleform) or BIMCO terms. Any return, recission or remedy must be handled under that contract. Pre-purchase inspection, classification review and a drydock (where appropriate) are standard due diligence steps before signing.

The Commercial Trader covers far more than just one category. Explore the full marketplace, with thousands of listings across vehicles, machinery, equipment and furniture:

• New and Used Commercial Trucks
• New and Used Commercial Vans
• New and Used Buses & Coaches
• New and Used Commercial Trailers
• New and Used Aviation & Drones
• New and Used Plant Machinery
• New and Used Farm Machinery
• New and Used Smart Technology
• New and Used Industrial Machinery
• New and Used Commercial Laundry
• New and Used Commercial Printers
• New and Used Shipping Containers
• New and Used Modular Buildings
• New and Used Catering Equipment
• New and Used Solar, Wind and Storage
• New and Used Commercial Furniture

We list every major commercial marine sub-category, including:

• New and Used Commercial Barges and Dredgers
• New and Used Commercial Dry Tonnage Vessels
• New and Used Commercial Fishing Boats
• New and Used Commercial Floating Cranes
• New and Used Commercial Livestock Carriers
• New and Used Commercial Off-Shore Vessels
• New and Used Commercial Ro Pax Ferries
• New and Used Commercial Wet Tonnage Vessels
• New and Used Other Commercial Marine Equipment