What Blount Boats does

Blount Boats is a family-owned commercial shipyard founded in 1949 and based in Warren, Rhode Island. The company designs and fabricates custom steel and aluminum vessels up to approximately 220 feet in length, with a track record of more than 330 hulls delivered over its 75+ year operating history. Its customer base spans U.S. federal and state government agencies, public transit and ferry authorities, offshore wind developers, and private excursion operators, with deliveries described as coast-to-coast.

The shipyard organizes its offering around six vessel categories: Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) for offshore wind service, tugboats, crew boats, passenger ferries, icebreakers, and excursion/dinner cruise vessels. Technical capabilities include hybrid-ready propulsion integration and DC-electric vessel architecture, supported by design partnerships with international naval architecture firms including South Boats IOW (UK, exclusive U.S. license since 2011) and Chartwell Marine. The yard builds to U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter specifications and holds Jones Act build credentials for U.S.-flagged commercial work. Notable product milestones include the Atlantic Pioneer (2015), the first U.S.-flagged CTV, and a four-vessel hybrid-ready CTV order for American Offshore Services placed in 2021.

The revenue model is project-based, custom-build, and B2B/B2G. Each vessel is a multi-million dollar contract negotiated against customer specifications, with sales cycles aligned to federal and state procurement calendars, offshore wind project development timelines, and ferry replacement programs. The firm employs 51-100 people and competes in a fragmented U.S. small-to-medium commercial shipbuilding segment in which few yards offer in-house steel and aluminum capability at this length class. Limited public financial disclosure constrains precise revenue sizing.

Name

Blount Boats

Legal name

Blount Boats, Inc.

Website

https://blountboats.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Blount Boats is a 75+ year old, family-owned shipyard in Warren, Rhode Island, designing and building custom steel and aluminum commercial vessels up to 220 feet for government agencies, ferry operators, and offshore wind developers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Shipbuilding

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (33661), Boat Building (336612), Ship and Boat Building (3366)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Yard Layout & Production Facilities (Assembly Bays, Block Fabrication Shops, Warehouses) (IMAJALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Landing Craft & Amphibious Workboats (LCM/LCT-style, Beaching Craft) (IMAJADAK), Utilities & Power Infrastructure (Electrical Distribution, Compressed Air, Steam, Water) (IMAJALAJ)

Keywords

• Commercial shipbuilding
• Crew transfer vessels
• Passenger vehicle ferries
• Icebreaking tugs
• Excursion dinner boats

Headquarters

HQ city

Warren

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Custom vessel construction contracts: Revenue is generated primarily through long-cycle, custom-built vessel construction contracts awarded by commercial operators and government entities. Each vessel is engineered and built to bespoke specifications; contracts are typically multi-million dollar one-time projects (e.g., the Atlantic Wind Transfers/Chartwell Marine landmark offshore wind deal; the four-vessel hybrid-ready CTV order from American Offshore Services).
2. Vessel maintenance, repair and retrofit services: Blount Boats offers extensive vessel maintenance and retrofit services to help clients extend vessel service life, supplementing new-build revenue.
3. Government grant funding: Blount has received U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration grants (e.g., $937,933 in 2022) for shipyard equipment upgrades as part of small-shipyard modernization programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Blount Boats designs and builds commercial steel and aluminum vessels up to 220 feet at its six-acre shipyard in Warren, Rhode Island. Its product portfolio covers wind farm crew transfer vessels (CTVs), tugboats and workboats, crew boats, passenger and vehicle ferries, icebreaking vessels, and excursion/dinner cruise boats, supported by in-house maintenance, repair, and retrofit services.

Product overview

Blount Boats, Inc. operates a single, integrated shipyard business offering design, construction, and repair of commercial steel and aluminum vessels up to 220 feet. Their product portfolio is organized around six core vessel categories that are built and serviced at their Warren, Rhode Island shipyard: Wind Farm Service Vessels (CTVs), Tugboats/Workboats, Crew Boats, Passenger & Vehicle Ferries, Ice Breakers, and Excursion/Dinner Cruise Vessels. These are not separate software modules but rather distinct vessel product lines sharing common production facilities, including the primary 200'x60' production shed with bridge cranes, a secondary production facility for smaller hulls and pre-fabrication, a marine railway under a covered tent for paint and blast operations, and a vertical lift dry dock. Specific named vessels (e.g., Atlantic Pioneer, Atlantic Endeavor, M/V Eddie Somers, Wabanaki, Breaker II, M/V Skyview) are examples of completed product deliveries within these categories. The company also offers vessel maintenance and retrofit services through the same shipyard facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wind Farm Service Vessels (Crew Transfer Vessels / CTVs) Custom-built crew transfer vessels used to transfer technicians to offshore wind turbines, including U.S.-flagged, Jones Act compliant designs (21m South Boats, 24m Chartwell Marine, and 30m G-Class), with hybrid-ready variants. Customers include Atlantic Wind Transfers, American Offshore Services, and Dominion Energy.
• Tugboats / Tugs & Workboats Commercial tugboats and workboats, including twin-screw diesel tugs with ice-strengthened construction and USCG Subchapter M compliance, built for harbor, canal, and ice management operations.
• Crew Boats
• Passenger & Vehicle Ferries Passenger and vehicular ferries, including fast commuter ferries and passenger/vehicle ferries for short-crossing routes, with notable builds such as Wabanaki, Cayo Largo, Plum Island, Governor's Islander, Fire Islander, Army Vessels, Isle of Fire, Southern Cross, and Skyview.
• Ice Breakers Ice breaking vessels featuring reinforced hulls for ice operations in harbors, rivers, and around island communities, including the M/V Eddie Somers for Maryland DNR and Breaker II for the New York Power Authority.
• Excursion / Dinner Cruise Vessels Excursion and dinner cruise vessels carrying 100-600 passengers for harbor tourism, dinner cruises, and architectural tours, including Horizon, Spirit of Boston, Star of Chicago, Riveranda, Grande Mariner, and Skyview.
• Shipyard Vessel Maintenance, Repair & Retrofit Services Full-service shipyard on six acres in Warren, RI, featuring a 200'x60' primary production shed with two 7.5-ton bridge cranes, a secondary 120'x65' production facility, a 150' marine railway under a covered EPA-compliant paint/blast tent, and a 132'x41' vertical lift dry dock certified to lift 240 long tons. Provides vessel maintenance, retrofit, and repair services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 325 hulls built since 1949; over 330 vessels and as many as 372 cited across sources — among the most prolific U.S. small commercial shipyards.
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.

• Rolls-RoyceminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022Developed design specifications for the 110-ft Wabanaki passenger ferry (USCG Sub-Chapter K, 399 passengers) for the Casco Bay Island Transit District.
• American Offshore Services (A-O-S)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 November 2021Repeat-customer strategic order for four Hybrid-Ready Jones Act Crew Transfer Vessels (99-ft/30m G-class) — the first hybrid-ready CTVs in the U.S. — for delivery 2023–2024 to service U.S. East Coast offshore wind farms. A-O-S is a joint venture of SEA.O.G Offshore and Northern Offshore Services (N-O-S).
• Bristol Harbor Group (Bristol, RI)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 August 2020Designed the 56-ft Breaker II icebreaking tug for New York Power Authority, including the reinforced hull and ABS-grade steel specifications.
• BMT Designers and Planners, Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2020Naval architecture partner that designed the 90-ft Ice Breaker/Buoy Tender (M/V Eddie Somers, delivered 2022) for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. BMT (Arlington, VA) provides vessel design services that Blount executes in its Warren, RI shipyard.
• Chartwell MarineflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2019Joint offshore wind vessel deal with Atlantic Wind Transfers (December 2019) for two state-of-the-art Chartwell 24 Crew Transfer Vessels — a multi-million-dollar, market-first order. Chartwell provided design adapted for U.S. environmental/regulatory conditions (e.g., Right Whale protection); Blount is the U.S. build partner delivering Jones-Act compliant vessels.
• Atlantic Wind TransfersflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 December 2019Founding customer/strategic partner for Blount's U.S. CTV business. Atlantic Wind Transfers commissioned the first U.S.-flagged CTV (Atlantic Pioneer, 2016) and signed the December 2019 landmark deal for two Chartwell 24 CTVs (delivered as the Atlantic Endeavor in 2021). Blount has built two of the three U.S.-flagged CTVs for Atlantic Wind Transfers.
• Green MarinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Voluntary environmental certification program partnership. Blount Boats became the eighth shipyard to join Green Marine (covering 12 environmental performance indicators); completed the 2020 Verification Review with independent verification by EA Engineering. The program provides a framework for sustainability in shipbuilding and positions Blount as an environmental steward on the U.S. East Coast.
• GlostenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2019Served as Owners Representative for the Trust for Governors Island, completing the vessel's initial Basis of Design and developing the Shipyard Procurement Request for Proposals.
• Elliott Bay Design GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2017Co-developed the 132-ft Governors 1 passenger ferry (delivered 2019) for the Trust for Governors Island — awarded design and construction services contract jointly with Blount Boats in July 2017.
• Seacraft Design, LLCminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2016Designed the 100-ft LOA M/V Skyview Subchapter K passenger vessel (delivered 2016) for Shoreline Sightseeing in Chicago.
• Farrell & Norton ArchitectsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2015Designed the 79x23-ft USCG Sub-Chapter D bunkering tanker CHANDRA B (delivered 2015) for American Petroleum & Transport, operating in New York Harbor and New Jersey.
• South Boats IOW (Isle of Wight)flagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2011Blount Boats signed an exclusive U.S. licensing agreement with South Boats IOW covering the U.S. offshore wind industry. South Boats designed the 21m CTV (built as the Atlantic Pioneer, 2016) and has designed approximately 81 crew transfer vessels for the European Offshore Wind Sector. The licensing agreement underpins Blount's first-mover position as the builder of the first U.S.-flagged CTV.
• DeJong & LebetminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2009Designed three sister-ship vehicular/passenger ferries (SUNRISE 2002, SOUTHSIDE 2009, SOUTHERN CROSS 2020) for South Ferry Inc. on Shelter Island.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• All American Marine: Bellingham, WA-based aluminum shipbuilder specializing in hydrofoil-assisted CTVs and passenger vessels for U.S. offshore wind operators. Directly competes with Blount in the U.S.-flagged CTV market and shares a similar small-yard, custom-vessel business model.
• Nichols Brothers Boat Builders: Freeland, WA-based aluminum shipbuilder of passenger ferries, CTVs, and high-speed catamarans for U.S. West Coast and offshore wind markets. Comparable in size, aluminum vessel focus, and CTV/ferry product overlap.
• Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding: Somerville, MA-based shipyard building passenger ferries, pilot boats, and crew transfer vessels, including the Millennium class CTV used in U.S. offshore wind. Direct comparable in size, New England footprint, and ferry/CTV product mix to Blount Boats.
• Pacific Shipyards International: Honolulu, HI-based shipyard performing ship repair, overhaul, and new construction for U.S. government and commercial customers. Comparable in U.S. Jones Act commercial shipbuilding and repair services.
• Eastern Shipbuilding Group: Panama City, FL-based shipyard building commercial vessels including offshore patrol cutters, tugs, and articulated tug-barges. Comparable in government/commercial contract mix and steel/aluminum construction capability.
• Conrad Shipyard: Morgan City, LA-based shipbuilder of aluminum and steel vessels including patrol boats, offshore supply vessels, and tugs. Comparable in building Jones Act compliant commercial vessels for government and offshore energy customers.
• Master Boat Builders: Coden, AL-based shipyard specializing in steel and aluminum vessels for the offshore oil & gas and government markets, including tugs, supply vessels, and specialty platforms. Comparable in custom commercial vessel construction for industrial end-markets.
• Steiner Shipyard: Bayou La Batre, AL-based shipyard building commercial fishing vessels, tugboats, and offshore supply vessels. Comparable in custom steel/aluminum vessel construction for working marine markets.

Broad incumbents

• Vigor Industrial: Portland, OR-based larger shipbuilding and ship repair operator serving ferries, barges, government, and commercial customers across the U.S. West Coast. Comparable shipbuilding capability but at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio than Blount.
• Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding: Sturgeon Bay, WI-based subsidiary of Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri, building articulated tug-barges and large commercial vessels. Overlaps with Blount on Jones Act commercial vessel construction but operates at much greater scale and as part of a global defense/shipbuilding group.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/blountboats
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blount-boats

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blount Boats