Industry Focus
Maritime Transport & Facilities
Vessel operators, terminals, shipyards and marine services businesses across the inland, coastal and offshore trades.
Overview
Maritime Transport & Facilities
Maritime is where the combined firm is strongest. McLean bankers run the transaction; DLS surveyors and appraisers value the steel — on the same engagement, without a third-party handoff.
We advise inland and coastal operators, terminal and port facility owners, shipyards, dredging contractors and marine services businesses on sales, recapitalizations, fleet financings and asset-level diligence.
Coverage
The maritime subsectors we cover
Vessel Operations
Inland and coastal operators
Offshore support vessels
Towing and barge fleets
Passenger and ferry services
Marine logistics
Facilities & Infrastructure
Terminals and port facilities
Shipyards and repair
Dredging and marine construction
Fleeting and mooring
Shore equipment
Marine Services
Survey and appraisal
Casualty and salvage support
Ship management
Bunkering and supply
Regulatory and compliance
Senior Coverage
Leadership
Norman J. DufourExecutive Vice PresidentMarine Survey & Appraisal · Metairie, LAndufour@dlsmarine.com504.835.8505
Harry WardPresident, DLS MarineMarine Appraisal & Survey · Metairie, LAhward@mcleanllc.com504.835.8505
Track Record
Engagements
Fleet AppraisalKirby Corporation142-vessel valuation supporting a senior secured credit facility2026
Marine ValuationBollinger ShipyardsMachinery, drydock and real property valuation supporting a refinancing2025
Buyer DiligenceSEACOR MarineAsset-level condition diligence on 14 vessels for a private equity buyer2025
Perspective
Insights
Market Report · Jun 2026Monthly Middle Market M&A Insider Report (May 2026)The McLean Group's May 2026 M&A Insider Report tracks deal activity across Defense & Government, Physical & Cyber Security, Critical Infrastructure, and Maritime. This month's edition highlights notable transactions including Parker Hannifin's announced $2.55B acquisition of CIRCOR's Commercial and Defense Aerospace business from KKR, VSE Corporation's $2.15B closing of Precision Aviation Group to build a 61-location aviation aftermarket platform, and Rocket Lab's $60M acquisition of Motiv Space Systems, adding Mars-proven robotics to its portfolio. The report also includes public company trading comps and EBITDA valuation multiples across all four sectors. Public market multiples are provided for reference purposes and reflect traded equity values, which may differ materially from private company transaction pricing.Read More →Market Report · May 2026Monthly Middle Market M&A Insider Report (April 2026)The McLean Group's April 2026 M&A Insider Report tracks deal activity across Defense & Government, Physical & Cyber Security, Critical Infrastructure, and Maritime. This month's edition highlights notable transactions including York Space Systems' $355M acquisition of satellite communications firm ALL.SPACE, Scale AI's acquisition of defense data analytics firm ICG Solutions, and Ondas' two-deal sprint adding World View Enterprises and Mistral to its autonomous intelligence portfolio. The report also includes public company trading comps and EBITDA valuation multiples across all four sectors. Public market multiples are provided for reference purposes and reflect traded equity values, which may differ materially from private company transaction pricing. Download the full report at mcleanllc.com.Read More →Market Report · Apr 2026What Is a 409A Valuation and When Does Your Company Need One?A 409A valuation is an independent appraisal of your private company's common stock, and if you're issuing equity incentive awards to employees, it's a legal requirement, not a formality. Get it wrong, and employees face immediate income recognition, a 20% federal penalty tax, and potential state penalties that can push effective tax rates well above 50%. In this article, The McLean Group's Valuation Advisory team breaks down exactly how 409A valuations work, when your company needs one, which IRS safe harbor methods apply at each stage, and the common mistakes that create tax exposure at exactly the wrong time: during fundraising, M&A due diligence, or an IRS audit.Read More →
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