Chantier Naval Forillon

What Chantier Naval Forillon does

Chantier Naval Forillon is a privately held, full-service shipyard founded in 1952 in Gaspé, Quebec, Canada, specializing in the design, construction, and repair of custom steel and aluminum vessels up to 800 tonnes — including fishing boats, tugs, barges, and ferries. The company operates a Crandall-type slipway capable of 800-tonne displacements (described as rare in Quebec) and added a second production site in Rivière-au-Renard in 2024. Its three service lines — shipbuilding, repair and modification, and in-house naval architecture and engineering — are sold primarily through direct, project-based relationships with commercial fishing operators, Indigenous community fleets, and government maritime agencies, most notably the Canadian Coast Guard. Notable engineering milestones include North America's first hybrid electric ferry (MV Peter-Fraser, 2013), the first installation at the yard of a 93% emission-reducing exhaust treatment system (Ugjit Mijua'ji'jg, 2022), and liquid ice production systems on commercial fishing vessels.

Revenue is generated one project at a time through custom-build contracts with no public pricing tiers; the company holds CSA W47.1 (steel), CSA W47.2 (aluminum), and ISO 9001:2015 quality certifications, which are prerequisites for regulated marine procurement in Canada. The business is privately held by four co-shareholders who took over in 2018 (President and CEO Jean-David Samuel, Technical Manager Jean-Nil Poirier-Morissette, Operations Manager Jean-Daniel Minville, and Project Manager Pierre-Émile Côté); no venture capital or private equity backing is disclosed. With 51–100 employees and operations concentrated in the Gaspé Peninsula, the company's go-to-market is enterprise field sales focused on Canadian federal, Indigenous, and commercial-fishing buyers, supported by a press room, newsletter, and direct shipyard visit invitations during construction.

Name

Chantier Naval Forillon

Legal name

Chantier Naval Forillon

Website

https://chantier-naval.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Chantier Naval Forillon is a Gaspé, Quebec-based custom shipyard, founded 1952, that designs, builds, and repairs steel and aluminum vessels up to 800 tonnes for the Canadian Coast Guard, commercial fishing operators, Indigenous communities, and maritime service companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Shipbuilding

NAICS

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

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Search & Rescue (SAR) & Lifeboats (IMAJADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Harbor & Terminal Tugs (ASD/Voith, Escort Tugs) (IMAJADAA), Naval & Government Vessel Maintenance & Modernization (TLAKAKAB)

Keywords

• Custom shipbuilding
• Vessel repair services
• Naval architecture engineering
• Fishing vessel construction
• Marine steel fabrication

Headquarters

HQ city

Gaspé

HQ country

Canada

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, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Ship Construction: Design and construction of custom vessels up to 800 tonnes including fishing boats, barges, tugs, and ferries. Projects managed from concept to delivery with client involvement at each stage.
2. Ship Repair and Modification: Repair and modification services for vessels with experienced workers and comprehensive project management from beginning to end.
3. Naval Architecture and Engineering Services: Complete naval architecture and engineering services from initial design through custom plan development, stability analysis, and project management A to Z.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Chantier Naval Forillon designs and builds custom steel and aluminum vessels up to 800 tonnes—including fishing boats, barges, tugboats, and ferries—using a Crandall-type slipway at its Gaspé, Quebec shipyard. The company also delivers ship repair and modification services alongside in-house naval architecture and engineering, covering hull, mechanical, electronic, and hydraulic systems from concept through delivery.

Product overview

Chantier Naval Forillon operates as a full-service shipyard offering three interconnected core services: shipbuilding (custom vessels up to 800 tonnes including fishing boats, tugs, ferries, barges, and service boats), ship repair and modification, and in-house naval architecture and engineering. The company, founded in 1952 and based in Gaspé, Quebec, delivers vessels from concept through construction using their Crandall-type slipway (one of the few in the province capable of 800-tonne displacements). Notable vessel products include the SAN MARCO VII multi-fishing vessel, FRANK C. and HOLLYANN III tugboats, the MV Peter-Fraser hybrid electric ferry (North America's first), and various fishing vessels for clients including the Canadian Coast Guard, Mi'gmaq communities, and commercial fisheries. The shipbuilding service serves as the primary offering, with repair/modification and architecture services acting as complementary capabilities that support the full vessel lifecycle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shipbuilding (Construction de navires) Custom design and construction of steel and aluminum vessels up to 800 tonnes displacement, including fishing boats, barges, tugboats, and ferries. Projects are managed from concept through delivery with client involvement at every stage, leveraging a Crandall-type slipway capable of 800-tonne displacements.
• Ship Repair and Modification (Réparation et modification de navires) Repair, refit, and modification services for vessels, including hull work, system upgrades, and compliance with marine industry standards. Delivered by experienced workers and project managers with full equipment capabilities.
• Naval Architecture and Engineering (Architecture et ingénierie navales) In-house naval architecture and engineering covering hull design, structural, mechanical, electronic, and hydraulic systems. Services include custom plan development, stability analysis, design optimization, and full project management from concept to completion.

Quantifiable outcome

• First hybrid electric ferry in North America - MV Peter-Fraser launched 2013
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Canadian Coast GuardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2025Long-term partnership for vessel construction including the completion of CCGS Baie de Gaspé (final Bay Class vessel) and construction of Near-Shore Fisheries Research Vessel. Previously built 10 search and rescue vessels starting in 2016 and Canada's first hybrid electric ferry (MV Peter-Fraser) in 2013.
• Listuguj CommunitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2021Major contract for construction of Ugjit Mijua'ji'jg fishing vessel for Mi'gmaq community. Third project for this nearby Gaspé Peninsula community. Vessel named 'for our children' in Mi'gmaq language.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• A.F. Theriault & Son: Family-owned Atlantic Canadian shipyard in Meteghan River, Nova Scotia, building fishing vessels, tugs, and small commercial craft up to similar tonnage ranges. Closest direct analogue to Chantier Naval Forillon in size, geography, and customer base (commercial fishing and small government work).
• Hike Metal Products: Wheatley, Ontario-based builder of small-to-medium workboats, patrol craft, and tugs for government and commercial clients. Comparable in build size range, steel/aluminum construction capability, and reliance on government contracts (including Canadian Coast Guard and provincial agencies).
• Verreault Navigation: Les Méchins, Quebec-based shipyard specializing in ferries, tugboats, and small commercial vessels — overlapping directly with Forillon's ferry (MV Peter-Fraser heritage) and tug (FRANK C., HOLLYANN III) product lines within the same province.

Broad incumbents

• Davie Shipbuilding: Lévis, Quebec-based large Canadian shipyard with a broad portfolio across government, naval, and icebreaker programs. A larger incumbent operating in the same Quebec maritime ecosystem, competing for federal vessel tenders that Forillon also pursues.
• Irving Shipbuilding: Halifax, Nova Scotia-based builder of large naval and Coast Guard vessels under Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy. A much larger incumbent whose federal procurement footprint can crowd out smaller yards like Forillon on major CCG programs.

Regional players

• East Isle Shipyard: Georgetown, PEI-based small shipyard focused on commercial fishing vessels and repairs in Atlantic Canada. Comparable regional peer serving similar fishing-industry customers with smaller-scale builds.
• Breton Industrial Marine: Nova Scotia-based marine fabrication and shipyard services firm working on fishing and small commercial vessels in Atlantic Canada. Adjacent regional competitor for repair, modification, and small-vessel construction work.

Others

• Lévesque & Associés Naval Architecture: Quebec-based naval architecture firm that partners with Chantier Naval Forillon on vessel design (e.g., FRANK C. tugboat, SAN MARCO VII). Comparable as a design/engineering capability that could in-source Forillon's architectural work or be partnered with by competitors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CNForillon

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Chantier Naval Forillon