SMS Group targets cruise and ferry market with new appointment

Ship repair, outfitting and marine engineering firm SMS Group is building a cruise and ferry team and has appointed Darren Smith as head of business development.

The Southampton-based business says it is renewing focus on the cruise and ferry sector as the industry emerges from the global pandemic. 

Nicholas Warren, commercial director at SMS Group, says: “As we conclude the 2020/21 fiscal year and realign our objectives for the 2021/22 period a targeted approach to outfit, within the cruise and ferry sector, is ‘mission critical’ for the business. 

“The time is right for investment, and as the cruise industry restarts it will move from being one of our many marine centric verticals to being at the heart of our operations.” 

Smith will be based in Southampton with a global remit, and joins Dan Lockyer, head of interiors, and project managers Nick Border and Chris Bailey. Collectively encompassing over 100 years of hands-on experience, the team believes it is uniquely positioned as the only marine interior outfitter located within the ABP footprint in Southampton.

In 2020, SMS relocated its headquarters to the Port of Southampton.

Dan Lockyer, head of interiors, says: “Our outfit business has grown year-on-year for the last three years and as the cruise industry prepares for a global restart the timing is just perfect.”

Warren adds: “We’ll make future investment in this space too. As our client list grows we fully intend to increase awareness via industry events, marketing and further sales initiatives.

The SMS Group provides 24/7 support, from eight locations in the UK.