Penningtons Manches Cooper advises the shareholders of Harbour Assist on acquisition by ClearCourse

Posted: 25/10/2024

The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised the shareholders of leading cloud-based marina management system Harbour Assist, on its acquisition by ClearCourse, a leading provider of industry-specific software and embedded payment solutions for SMEs and targeted enterprises.

Founded in 2013 and based in Cornwall, Harbour Assist integrates customer relations, communications, asset management, invoicing and reporting into a single, easy-to-use software package. Harbour Assist serves a diverse range of marina and harbour clients across the UK, Canada, Fiji, Mexico, New Zealand, US, Australia, and the Middle East. Their clients include independent operators and multi-site organisations, Trust Ports and public sector such as Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour, Lakeland Leisure Estates, Fowey Harbour, Port of Ramsgate. Harbour Assist’s reach extends to some of the world’s most prominent marinas and harbours.

Harbour Assist will join the ClearCourse Sports and Leisure division and the platform will gain access to embedded payment tools as well as additional development resources, enhancing its capability to deliver a greater quantity of features at pace.

The Penningtons Manches Cooper team was led by corporate partner Will Axtell, with support from corporate associate Leo Shrimpton. The wider team included employment senior associate Luke Shaw, corporate tax senior associate Leonie Langley, pensions partner Alison Hills, commercial and IP associate Clemency Pleming, senior associate Nora Pook, managing associate Edmund Forey and trainee solicitor Amelia Johnson.  

Nick Gill and Graham Laidler Co-founders of Harbour Assist said: “For over a decade, we've earned our reputation by delivering mission-critical software designed and developed by a team of maritime professionals. Partnering with ClearCourse enables us to expand further and future proof our business by adding a range of innovative and efficient payments solutions, something we are incredibly excited about. I’d like to thank Will Axtell and the wider team at Penningtons Manches Cooper for their expertise and exceptional levels of support in helping bring this transaction to a successful conclusion.”

Will Axtell said: “We are delighted to have advised the team at Harbour Assist on this important transaction where our corporate team continues to demonstrate significant strength in technology sector transactions. We wish the team at Harbour Assist all the best for their exciting future with ClearCourse.”

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