Lind Marine Acquired by Tallvine in Bicoastal Infrastructure Push

LOS ANGELES, CA – May 21, 2026 – Kingswood Capital Management announced today the successful sale of Lind Marine, a cornerstone of the San Francisco Bay Area's maritime industry, to the Miami-based infrastructure investment firm Tallvine Partners. The transaction, for which financial terms were not disclosed, marks a significant exit for Kingswood and signals a new strategic chapter for the 120-year-old marine services company.

The deal concludes Kingswood's four-year partnership with Lind Marine, which began in 2022. It also showcases a deliberate and ambitious strategy by Tallvine Partners to build a national marine infrastructure powerhouse, with Lind Marine becoming the West Coast anchor to its growing platform.

A 'Founder-Friendly' Exit

For Kingswood Capital, the sale serves as a prime example of its 'founder-friendly' investment philosophy. The Los Angeles-based private equity firm partnered with Seneca Partners in 2022 to invest in Lind Marine, a company still operated by the third generation of its founding family. Crucially, the deal structure allowed co-owners Christian and Aaron Lind to retain significant ownership and continue leading the company's operations.

This approach, which emphasizes collaboration with existing leadership rather than outright replacement, is designed to preserve the institutional knowledge and relationships that define long-standing family businesses while injecting capital and operational expertise to fuel growth. The firm's success with this model was recognized in 2025 when it was named to Inc. Magazine’s List of Founder-Friendly Investors.

“We are proud of what we achieved through our partnership with Christian Lind, Aaron Lind, and the entire Lind Marine team over the last four years,” said Alex Wolf, Founder and Managing Partner of Kingswood. “This is an excellent example of how we partner with founder families as they take on their first institutional capital, working with them and company leadership to evolve their businesses and deliver a good outcome for everyone involved.”

During their tenure, Kingswood focused on professionalizing operations and making strategic investments to build upon Lind Marine's strong regional reputation.

“The Lind family founded and built a multi-generational business with deep customer relationships and a strong reputation across the San Francisco Bay Area,” added Michael Niegsch and Andrew Kovach, Partners at Kingswood. “Together, we were able to build on that foundation by making key investments in the business, bringing in additional operational expertise, and most importantly, supporting Christian and Aaron in their vision for the company. We’re confident Lind Marine is well-positioned for continued growth.”

A Century-Old Maritime Legacy

Lind Marine's history is deeply woven into the fabric of Northern California's waterways. Founded in 1906 as a single-barge oyster shell business, the company has evolved over more than a century into a diversified marine services giant. Today, with a fleet of over forty vessels and more than 120 employees, it provides a suite of essential services across the San Francisco Bay, Mare Island, and the vital Sacramento and San Joaquin River delta systems.

Its operations are critical to the region's commerce and environmental health. The company's core services include:

• Dredging and Materials: Performing maintenance dredging for navigation channels, marinas, and homeowners, as well as mining and selling sand, gravel, and its traditional oyster shell calcium for construction and agriculture.
• Tug and Barge Services: Operating a fleet of powerful tugboats and 22 barges—including the largest bulk materials barge on the West Coast—to move large structures and bulk materials for the construction and agricultural sectors.
• Shipyard and Salvage: Offering vessel maintenance and repair from its Mare Island shipyard, which features a 400-foot drydock. The company is also a regional leader in marine environmental remediation, having removed over 250 derelict vessels and thousands of tons of debris from local waterways.
• Moose Boats: A unique subsidiary that designs and manufactures high-performance aluminum catamarans and monohulls used by law enforcement, firefighting agencies, and military clients.

In a competitive market that includes major players like Foss Maritime Company and Marine Express, Inc., Lind Marine has carved out a dominant position through its diverse capabilities and deep-rooted local presence.

Tallvine's Bicoastal Infrastructure Strategy

The acquisition is a calculated move by Tallvine Partners, an investment firm founded in late 2023 by former I Squared Capital dealmakers. Tallvine focuses on acquiring and enhancing middle-market infrastructure assets in North America across transportation, logistics, energy, and communications.

The purchase of Lind Marine is not an isolated transaction but the second major acquisition for Tallvine's burgeoning North American marine infrastructure platform. In September 2025, the firm acquired Donjon Marine, a prominent provider of marine salvage, dredging, and shipbuilding services on the U.S. East Coast. By adding Lind Marine, Tallvine has effectively established a bicoastal footprint, positioning its platform to serve clients and pursue projects across the continent.

The strategic fit is clear: Lind Marine's West Coast dominance, diversified services, and strong reputation are highly complementary to Donjon Marine's East Coast operations. This national scale provides significant advantages in bidding for large-scale federal and private contracts, sharing best practices, and optimizing fleet deployment.

This strategy aligns with a broader trend of private capital flowing into essential, long-term infrastructure assets. Marine services, with their high barriers to entry, stable demand, and critical role in supply chains and environmental management, represent an attractive asset class for infrastructure-focused investors like Tallvine. The acquisition positions Lind Marine to benefit from further investment in fleet expansion and potential strategic acquisitions under its new ownership, ensuring its legacy of service continues to evolve and expand its reach.