Private equity fund Oakley Capital Investments has acquired majority stakes in e-learning businesses Videotel and Seagull from KVH Industries and Herkules Private Equity Fund IV, respectively.

Videotel and Seagull offer e-learning to the global maritime sector. They also provide compliance, risk and safety training to more than 10,000 ships and installations to enable them to comply with rules set out by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Oakley Capital managing partner Peter Dubens said: “We are delighted to be partnering with the management teams of Seagull and Videotel, two companies we have admired for many years.

“Both teams are exactly the type of highly ambitious professionals we continually seek to back. We look forward to supporting them in their plans to invest in new content and technology solutions based on the wealth of internal expertise, which can now be shared across the group.”

Last year, the two acquired businesses together generated $50m in revenue.

There will be no immediate operational changes in either company except that Seagull chairman and founder Oscar Johansen will assume the role of president of the combined group.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Roger Ringstad and Raal Harris will continue to spearhead Seagull and Videotel, respectively.

Seagull managing director Roger Ringstad said: “As the shipping industry continues to make advancements in digitalisation, we see significant opportunities to further enhance the breadth and depth of products and services we offer our clients. In Videotel and Oakley, we believe that we have the perfect partners to support us on that journey.”

Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Ship Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Ship Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
From automated chartering invoices to EU ETS and CII management, Ankeri Solutions’ maritime SaaS platform has earned three Ship Technology Excellence Awards for 2025. See how Ankeri is helping shipowners and charterers boost efficiency, cut emissions, and collaborate better across complex global fleets.

Discover the Impact