marine segments

marine segments

Power and Propulsion Solutions for Marine Vessels and Working Fleets

Thompson Marine provides CAT® marine engines and Berg Propulsion systems across the Gulf Coast and the Americas, serving vessel operators where reliability, uptime, and technical expertise matter most. With an in-house engineering team and numerous years of combined marine experience, Thompson Marine supports the full project lifecycle, from initial specification through long-term parts and service.

  • Workboat
  • Commercial Fishing
  • Ocean Going
  • Pleasure Craft
  • Governmental

Workboat

Workboats operate where reliability is non-negotiable, requiring propulsion systems engineered for sustained power, precise maneuverability, and long service life. Thompson Marine provides CAT engines, Berg Propulsion systems, and in-house fabricated packages for the workboat market across the Gulf Coast and the Americas.

Harbor Tugs

Towboats

Dredges

Fishing Vessels

Fishing vessels operate in remote, harsh environments where reliability is not optional. Thompson Marine supports fishing fleets with CAT® engines, Berg Propulsion systems, parts inventory, and field service capability across the Gulf Coast and the Americas.

  • Tuna Longliners
  • Shrimp Boats
  • Crab Vessels
  • Processing Vessels
  • Freezer Trawlers

For large-scale fishing operations, Berg Propulsion systems represent a primary propulsion solution.

MARINE SEGMENT

Ocean Going Vessels

Blue Water and Offshore Vessels

Open sea vessels, including blue water cargo carriers, coastwise freighters, and offshore support vessels, require propulsion systems engineered for sustained performance over long voyages and extended operating cycles.

Support for Ocean Going Operations

Thompson Marine supports ocean going vessel operators with Berg Propulsion sales, engineering, and service, backed by the largest Berg parts inventory in the United States and factory-trained technicians available for rapid deployment across the Americas.

Pleasure Craft

Thompson Marine supports the pleasure craft market through its Authorized Marine Dealer network. Thompson Marine AMDs provide CAT® engines and CAT® parts to pleasure craft operators across the Gulf Coast, with certified technicians and DNV-certified facilities at convenient locations throughout the region.

For pleasure craft service, parts, or support, contact Thompson Marine or an Authorized Marine Dealer using the AMD locator.

USNS Comfort

Governmental

Thompson Marine supports government fleet operators, including Military Sealift Command vessels such as the Mercy-class hospital ships. Beyond engine and propulsion work, the team’s marine industrial capability extends to the full range of shipboard machinery, from hydraulic systems to other mechanical equipment. Thompson Marine provides government fleet operators a single point of contact for work that falls outside a single OEM’s scope.

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Every project starts with a conversation. Contact Thompson Marine to discuss what the right solution looks like.

Contact Thompson Marine

Thompson Marine provides CAT® marine engines and generators and Berg Propulsion systems across four primary commercial vessel segments: workboats, commercial fishing vessels, open sea vessels, and pleasure craft. Workboats and commercial fishing vessels represent the core of Thompson Marine’s customer base. Pleasure craft operators are served directly or through Thompson Marine’s Authorized Marine Dealer network across the Gulf Coast.

Yes. Harbor tugs, harbor assist boats, towboats, and pushboats are among Thompson Marine’s primary workboat customers. Thompson Marine has engineered and commissioned propulsion systems for harbor tugs ranging from conventional CAT® mechanical installations to complex hybrid propulsion systems combining CAT main engines with Berg Z-drives, electric motors, and variable frequency drives. Dredges are also a served vessel type within the workboat segment.

Thompson Marine supports pleasure craft owners through its Authorized Marine Dealer network. Thompson Marine AMDs provide Caterpillar marine engine service and CAT® parts to pleasure craft operators across the Gulf Coast, with certified technicians and DNV-certified facilities at convenient locations throughout Alabama and northwest Florida.

Thompson Marine supports commercial fishing fleets operating across the Gulf Coast and the Americas, including tuna longliners, shrimp boats, crab vessels, processing vessels, and freezer trawlers. For large-scale fishing operations, including vessels 300 feet and above operating in the Pacific Northwest, Berg Propulsion systems represent a primary propulsion solution supported by Thompson Marine’s parts inventory and field service capability.

Thompson Marine supports open sea vessel operators with Berg Propulsion sales, engineering, and service. Vessel in this segment include blue water cargo carriers, coastwise freighters, and offshore support vessels. Open sea vessels often utilize of are retrofitted with Berg Propulsion systems, particularly controllable pitch propellers and azimuth thrusters suited to the power demands and variable duty profiles of large commercial vessels operating on extended voyages.