Mergers & Acquisitions

Direct Ferries Has Secured a New Partnership Investment From ICG

5788 Direct Ferries (Project Elmo) NT

M&A Engagement Overview

Industry Group: Consumer
Area of Focus: Travel

Harris Williams advised Direct Ferries, a portfolio company of Livingbridge, on its new partnership investment from ICG. 

We are thrilled to have represented Direct Ferries' shareholders and management team on this transaction. Under Livingbridge's ownership, Direct Ferries has seen significant investment across all aspects of the business to create the global platform of choice in the sector. This has enabled Direct Ferries to move further ahead of the industry and its competitors post-COVID-19, with the business primed for sustainable long-term growth.


Direct Ferries is the world’s largest ferry ticketing business, selling three million tickets from 4,000 routes in 200 end markets across the globe. The company aggregates ferry routes, times, and prices from more than 250 ferry operators and allows customers to find the right sailing anywhere in the world.

As part of the refinancing, Livingbridge, the founding Davies family, and management have also reinvested into the business.

This is the fourth time Harris Williams has worked with Livingbridge, having advised them on the acquisition of loveholidays in 2018, the sale of Sykes Cottages in 2019, and its growth investment in Absolute Collagen in 2020.

Contact the Harris Williams Consumer Group to learn more about this transaction.