FOOD & BEVERAGE
Floating canteens keep workers fueled at sea
Modular kitchens and barges deliver meals for ports, shipyards, and offshore sites
U.S.N. Catering Barge. Navy Photo.
Industrial work offshore cannot run without food service. From shipyards to energy platforms, operators rely on catering barges and accommodation vessels with full kitchens and dining halls. In 2025, demand is pushing global caterers and flotels to scale services.
Navy barge shows canteen scale in ports. In August 2025, the Navy accepted a new accommodation barge with berthing for 199 and messing for 300. It supports ships in overhaul with galley, dining, medical, laundry, and classrooms for crews at the pier.
Compass Group scales offshore and marine catering. Compass Group’s ESS division provides catering on offshore platforms and flotels, handling everything from menus to welfare services. In Denmark, Compass also runs large industrial staff restaurants, proving its reach across land and sea.
Prosafe’s flotels expand in Brazil. In June 2025, Prosafe confirmed a $204 million deal with Petrobras for its Safe Notos flotel. These units provide accommodation and continuous canteen service for hundreds of offshore workers during maintenance programs.
UK probes offshore catering merger. Regulators in 2025 began an investigation into the planned merger of Aramark and Entier, two leading offshore catering providers in the North Sea. The move underscores how important canteen operations are to the energy sector.
That’s not all: as the floating workforce grows, catering providers are layering in nutrition, safety standards, and multi-cultural menus. Analysts expect offshore food services to expand steadily with the growth of floating industrial hubs.
—TFI
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