Sixth Street Partners is nearing a $1.1bn investment for a significant minority stake in Kpler, a maritime and commodities data platform now valued at $4bn. The deal would mark Five Arrows Capital’s full exit from the company, which was founded in 2014 and specializes in tracking oil tankers and global trade flows.

Kpler’s valuation has surged since its 2022 founding, when co-investors Five Arrows and Insight injected $200m. The platform’s aggressive expansion—including the 2023 acquisition of vessel-tracking firm MarineTraffic and a push into African commodities data—has drawn investor interest. Sixth Street, known for its flexible capital solutions, previously acquired Cala Group for £1.35bn in 2024, highlighting its appetite for growth-oriented assets.

The move underscores Kpler’s market dominance, with its database of 300,000+ daily vessel records serving energy, maritime, and defense sectors. By exiting, Five Arrows signals confidence in Kpler’s trajectory amid rising demand for real-time supply chain analytics. Investors are betting on the platform’s ability to capitalize on digital transformation in global trade.

$4bn valuation reflects Kpler’s strategic shifts and expanding customer base. For Sixth Street, the stake aligns with its focus on data-driven infrastructure plays. This transaction could set a benchmark for valuations in the maritime analytics sector, where real-time data is increasingly critical for logistics and risk management.