Dark Blu training at sea

Maritime • Team • Personal Development

The trusted training partner of captains since 2011.

Dark Blu Inc delivers practical, high-impact training across maritime safety, crew drug testing, team development and personal development. The work is grounded in real environments, robust scenarios and a people-first approach that builds trust, resilience and performance.

What sets DBI apart

Flexible delivery ashore or afloat, tailored programmes for each client, and realistic exercises that move teams beyond theory into confident action.

Core strengths

STEP training
Drug testing
Team growth
Leadership

Clients

Clients We Work With

Dark Blu has delivered work across maritime, public sector, education and commercial environments.

B&Q
BAE Systems
Babcock
Portsmouth City Council
Aberystwyth University
Mission Performance

What we do

A diverse training offer with one clear goal: stronger people and better teams.

The current Dark Blu site spans maritime operations, wellbeing, capability building and practical leadership. This redesign keeps that breadth, but presents it through a more structured, mobile-first layout.

Safety Training & Emergency Procedures
STEP

Safety Training & Emergency Procedures

Tailored onboard emergency training covering rescue, crisis response, contingency planning and realistic drills.

Learn more →
Crew Drug Testing
Drug testing

Crew Drug Testing

Third-party managed hair testing with strong chain of custody and dependable turnaround.

Learn more →
Team Development
Teams

Team Development

Shared challenge and practical tasks that unlock trust, cohesion, followership and leadership.

Learn more →
Personal Development
Growth

Personal Development

Experiential development pathways that stretch confidence, judgement and capability.

Learn more →
Dark Blu training environment

About Dark Blu Inc

Building exceptional teams onboard and beyond.

Founded in 2011 and based in Portsmouth, Dark Blu Inc specialises in transforming individuals into high-performing teams, whether at sea or on land.

The company blends military-inspired team training with maritime and corporate delivery, using practical scenarios such as fire fighting, sea survival, sinking ship simulators and obstacle-based challenges to create trust, resilience and esprit de corps.

The emphasis is not on software, systems or generic consultancy. It is on people, pressure-tested learning and tailored delivery that helps crews and organisations perform as one.

Read more about Dark Blu

Real environments

Training happens onboard, alongside, ashore or at practical venues that match the operational need.

Pressure with purpose

Exercises are intentionally robust, but calibrated by experienced facilitators to get the best from people and teams.

Tailored delivery

Ashore or afloat, programmes are adapted around the outcome each client actually needs.

Testimonials

Trusted by clients across sectors.

“Rob De Silva is honest and straight forward. He and his team always over deliver and add huge value to our programmes. I would endorse him and his team without hesitation.”

Rob Lewis

Managing Director, Mission Performance

“It is with great pleasure that DSNM Ltd recommends Rob de Silva without reservation. As a company dedicated to the safety and development of superyacht crew, we consider his training among the best in the industry. Rob combines deep expertise in maritime safety and compliance with practical, real-world experience. His training goes beyond basic requirements, fostering a lasting culture of safety awareness among crew. The impact of his programmes is consistently evident: crew return to their vessels with strong knowledge of safety responsibilities, heightened risk awareness, and the confidence to respond effectively. From STCW and emergency procedures to flag state and MCA regulations, Rob delivers complex material with clarity and authority. What sets Rob apart is his understanding of the superyacht environment, balancing high guest expectations with rigorous safety standards. We have seen measurable improvements in safety culture and compliance across vessels following his training. We highly recommend Rob to any owner, management company, or crewing agency committed to excellence in maritime safety.”

More

David Store

Founder, DSNM Ltd

“We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Rob and the team for delivering an exceptional programme of fire and safety training onboard our new build yacht. From the outset, their approach stood apart. The training was not only technically thorough and professionally executed, but also engaging in a way that genuinely resonated with the crew. Complex and often dry subject matter was presented with clarity and energy, encouraging active participation and ensuring that key principles were both understood and retained by my crew going into a busy cruising season. Their natural ability to foster confidence across the crew and build a great foundation for cohesive team behaviour was just brilliant. Through a combination of practical scenarios and well-judged instruction, the crew developed not only their individual competence, but also a stronger collective awareness and responsiveness—something that is invaluable onboard. Rob and his team bring a level of professionalism, enthusiasm, and credibility that makes a lasting impact. We would not hesitate to recommend them to any vessel seeking to elevate their fire and safety standards through meaningful, well-delivered training. ”

More

Captain My Halo

My Zen

Read all testimonials

Latest news

Latest updates from Dark Blu.

Read recent news, training insights and company updates from Dark Blu, with stories relevant to clients, crews and partner organisations.

View all news
Lithium Ion Defence
Maritime / STEP 19 Dec 2024

Lithium Ion Defence

Enhancing safety on superyachts with specialist awareness and training focused on lithium-ion device risks onboard.

Read article →

Talk to Dark Blu

Call us to discuss how we can help.

Ashore or afloat, Dark Blu tailors delivery around the real outcome you need.