Lloyd’s Register has moved to buy digital learning platform Ocean Technologies Group (OTG) from private equity firm Oakley Capital for an undisclosed sum.
OTG offers e-learning services for shipowners and managers.
Lloyd’s Register intends to merge OTG’s service offering with its existing digital service LR OneOcean.
It acquired OneOcean from Equistone Partners Europe in 2022.
Lloyd’s Register chief executive Nick Brown described the acquisition of OTG as “transformative”.
He said: “The purchase of OneOcean in 2022 gave us the digital capability to support and optimise the safe and compliant operations of vessels, and now with the acquisition of OTG we will be able to provide a strategic approach to attracting, developing, managing and retaining maritime professionals at sea and ashore.”
The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and is likely to be concluded in the fourth quarter.
OneOcean was formed by the merger of Chartco and Marine Press while under Equistone ownership.
Similarly, OTG is built on the merger and acquisition of several digital training providers.
These include Oakley Capital’s 2019 purchases of training course providers Seagull Maritime from Herkules Private Equity Fund and Videotel from KVH Industries.
In the same year, Oakley bought Tero Marine and integrated it into OTG.
OTG acquired Marlins from V.Group in 2020 and crew management software COMPAS in 2021.
It also acquired Dan Docs, a regulation and rule service, earlier this year.
All are now products in the OTG product portfolio.
