A. F. Theriault & Son

Name

A. F. Theriault & Son

Legal name

A.F. Theriault & Son Ltd.

Website

https://aftheriaultboatyard.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Shipbuilding / Commercial Vessel Manufacturing

NAICS

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

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Government & Municipal Service Craft (Research, Survey, Inspection, Buoy Tenders) (IMAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Offshore Wind & Renewable Support Vessel Construction (SOV, CTV, WTIV) (IMAJACAG), Hull, Structure & Steelwork Repair (TLAKAKAE), Mechanical Systems Repair (Engines, Propulsion, Pumps) (TLAKAKAF), Piping, HVAC & Auxiliary Systems Repair (TLAKAKAH)

Keywords

• Shipbuilding services
• Commercial vessel construction
• Marine repair refit
• Passenger ferry construction
• Workboat manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Meteghan River

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. New Vessel Construction: Custom vessel construction for commercial fishing, marine transportation (ferries), and commercial workboats. Revenue per vessel ranges from $4.2-4.7 million for passenger ferries. Over $20 million in ferry contracts alone from Halifax Harbour ferry series.
2. Repair, Refit & Conversion Services: Vessel repair, refit, and conversion services using marine railways. Services include sandblasting, painting, electrical upgrades, shaft repair, propeller repair, hydraulic service, and complete interior finish upgrades. Vessels up to 215 feet accommodated.
3. Drone Target Vessels: Production of Hammerhead unmanned surface vehicle target drones for military self-defence training exercises. Over 500 units shipped internationally to multiple countries.
4. AFT Stockroom Retail: On-site retail marine supplies, outdoor gear, cold-weather clothing, and paint supplies for commercial and recreational customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

A. F. Theriault & Son Ltd. is a privately owned shipyard that designs, builds, and repairs custom commercial vessels — including commercial fishing boats, passenger and vehicle ferries, and commercial workboats (fireboats, patrol vessels, pilot boats, crew boats, scientific research vessels, and unmanned surface vehicle target drones). Production uses steel, aluminum, fibreglass, and advanced composites, with new construction capacity up to 150 ft/45m and refit/repair capacity up to 215 ft/65m through four marine railways. The shipyard also operates an integrated sawmill (AFT Sawmill) and an on-site retail stockroom supplying marine supplies to commercial and recreational customers.

Product overview

A.F. Theriault & Son Ltd. is a traditional shipbuilding company offering a portfolio of three core vessel product lines (Commercial Fishing Boats, Marine Transportation Ferries, and Commercial Workboats) supported by internal operations including an on-site sawmill (AFT Sawmill) for lumber supply and a retail stockroom. The company also provides vessel refit, repair, and conversion services through its marine railway system. This is not a software/platform product but a physical shipbuilding operation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Fishing Boats Custom-built commercial fishing vessels for domestic and international waters, including lobster boats, crabbers, draggers, and trawlers, constructed from steel, aluminum, fibreglass, and advanced composites and adhering to Transport Canada safety standards for small and large fishing vessels.
• Marine Transportation Ferries Passenger and vehicle ferries built to Transport Canada Marine Safety standards and Class specifications, including the Halifax Harbour HRM series (Christopher Stannix, Craig Blake, Rita Joe) for Halifax Regional Municipality and ferries for the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy, Margaret's Justice, Theodore O'Hara).
• Commercial Workboats Diverse range of commercial workboats including catamaran-style offshore workboats, oil pollution response vessels, high-speed crew boats, tug and tow boats, fireboats, patrol vessels, pilot boats, and scientific research vessels for commercial and government clients. Includes the RCMP Murray patrol catamaran, Portland Fireboat, American United Fireboat, and Hammerhead unmanned surface vehicle target drones for military training.
• Refit, Repair & Vessel Conversion Comprehensive vessel repair, refit, and conversion services for vessels up to 215 feet, including sandblasting, painting, electrical upgrades, shaft repair, propeller repair, hydraulic service, and complete re-powering or conversion to owner specifications. Performed using the yard's four marine railways, 1500-tonne winch, and tidal drops up to 18 feet.
• AFT Stockroom On-site retail store offering quality marine supplies, outdoor gear, cold-weather clothing, and paint supplies for commercial and recreational use, located at 1 d'Entremont Road, Meteghan River, and open Monday-Friday.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 vessels built since 1938
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nova Scotia Community College (Yarmouth and Shelburne campuses)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished working relationship with NSCC for apprenticeship programs and trades training. Company receives welding students, carpentry students, electricians, and pipefitters for on-the-job training. NSCC supplies up-and-coming tradespeople to support workforce needs.
• CWPCA (Canadian Wood Council?)minorOthersProud member of CWPCA and Forest Products Association of Nova Scotia, representing excellence and commitment to industry standards in lumber production.
• Forest Products Association of Nova ScotiaminorOthersProud member of Forest Products Association of Nova Scotia, representing excellence and commitment to industry standards and innovation in lumber production.
• World's Greatest Media CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTelevision production partnership featuring A.F. Theriault on World's Greatest TV show, providing global media exposure and brand marketing.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kvichak Marine Industries: Seattle-based aluminum workboat builder producing patrol boats, fireboats, research vessels, and passenger ferries for government and commercial clients. Closely matched product portfolio and customer overlap in the government/defense workboat market.
• Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding: Somerset, Massachusetts shipyard of comparable size that builds pilot boats, patrol vessels, passenger ferries, and commercial workboats. Directly overlaps AFT's product portfolio (including the same Class-spec pilot/patrol segment) and serves similar government and commercial buyers in North America.
• Blount Boats: Warren, Rhode Island shipyard of comparable size producing commercial fishing vessels, ferries, and small commercial craft. Comparable in scale, customer mix (commercial fishing operators, ferry services), and Atlantic-coast geographic exposure.
• Hike Metal Products: Wheatley, Ontario shipyard building aluminum patrol vessels, ferries, fireboats, and commercial workboats for Canadian government clients (including RCMP). Direct competitor in the Canadian workboat/ferry market with similar materials and certification profile.
• All American Marine: Bellingham, Washington builder of aluminum commercial vessels including passenger ferries, patrol craft, research vessels, and excursion boats. Direct competitor for the same Class-spec workboat and ferry RFPs AFT pursues, with comparable scale.
• Washburn & Doughty Associates: East Boothbay, Maine shipyard building steel and aluminum commercial workboats, ferries, and fishing vessels up to ~200 feet. Closely comparable in scope, materials expertise, and customer mix (commercial fishing, ferry operators, government).

Emerging players

• Metal Shark Boats: Louisiana-based aluminum vessel builder that has rapidly scaled defense, patrol, and passenger vessel production using modern manufacturing methods. Competes on the same government workboat RFPs AFT bids, often leveraging faster production cycles and broader platform standardization.

Broad incumbents

• Irving Shipbuilding Inc. Largest shipbuilder in Atlantic Canada, located in Halifax. Operates the Halifax Shipyard on a much larger scale (national defense/commercial) but competes with AFT for the same Maritime Canadian government and commercial workboat customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AFTheriault
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/explore/locations/331940353520314/af-theriault-son-ltd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 A. F. Theriault & Son