Chantier Naval Borg

What Chantier Naval Borg does

Chantier Naval Borg is a traditional wooden boat shipyard founded in 1956 by Guillaume Borg at the Anse du Pharo in Marseille, France, currently structured as a Société par actions simplifiée (SAS). The company specializes in three core service lines: (1) new construction of bespoke wooden vessels ranging from traditional Marseille barquettes to motor yachts and prestige racing-cruising sailboats, (2) comprehensive renovation and restoration of classic and modern wooden boats of all sizes, and (3) electric propulsion refits including hybrid motorization for both new builds and legacy remotorization projects. Underpinning these services is an in-house Bureau d'Étude (design office) established in 2023 that provides naval architecture, engineering, CAD drawings, classification surveys, and stability studies, enabling structural modifications and complete design capability.

The underlying technology combines traditional marine carpentry craftsmanship with modern fabrication methods, most notably strip planking (bordé latté) construction—a wood-epoxy technique where hulls are built by juxtaposing thin wood strips on a mannequin and laminated on both faces to deliver mechanical performance, lightness, and durability. The team uses both traditional hand tools (rabot, fer à calfater, étuve, Japanese saw) and modern equipment (toupie, défonceuse, scie à ruban), and holds specialized certifications including the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label since 2008. L'Olivier, launched in 2023, represents the company's first proprietary product line, featuring integrated dual electric motors (2x6kW), a Raymarine navigation package, and bespoke craftsmanship with a 12-month fabrication lead time.

The business model is project-based bespoke services with custom quote-based pricing and no standardized tiers. Revenue is generated exclusively through direct sales from the shipyard itself, with no intermediaries, resellers, or dealers. The go-to-market is sales-led and relies on earned media coverage, Instagram presence, and word-of-mouth referrals within the traditional boat community rather than paid advertising. Customers include individual owners of vintage, classic, and modern wooden boats seeking specialized restoration, preservation, and new construction services that combine rare marine carpentry expertise with modern engineering.

Name

Chantier Naval Borg

Legal name

Chantier Borg

Website

https://chantiernavalborg.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chantier Naval Borg is a Marseille-based traditional wooden boat shipyard founded in 1956 that designs, builds, and restores bespoke wooden vessels, including its proprietary Fifty dayboat line, for owners of classic and modern yachts across France and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Carpentry & Wooden Boat Construction

NAICS

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

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAJAMAC

Luxury Sailing Yacht Manufacturing

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Marine & Shipbuilding/Luxury Yacht Manufacturing

SECONDARYIMAJAEAM

Semi-Custom & Series Production Yacht Manufacturing

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Marine & Shipbuilding/Yacht & Leisure Craft Manufacturing

SECONDARYTLAKAKAE

Hull, Structure & Steelwork Repair

Transportation & Logistics/Vehicle & Equipment Maintenance, Repair & Services (MRO)/Marine Vessel Maintenance & Repair (Shipyards)

Keywords

• Wooden boat construction
• Marine carpentry services
• Boat renovation restoration
• Electric propulsion refit
• Custom yacht building

Headquarters

HQ city

Marseille

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Boat Renovation and Restoration: Complete renovation services for classic and modern boats of all sizes. Services include marine carpentry, interior joinery, hull treatment, deck renovation, painting and varnish, and study bureau support for structural modifications.
2. New Boat Construction: New unit construction including barquettes, fiftys, motor yachts, and prestige racing-cruising vessels. Services include plan study, technical constraints analysis, budget definition, material sourcing, options proposals, and coordination of all nautical trades.
3. Electric Refit Services: Electric propulsion conversion and hybrid system installation for new builds or remotorization projects. Includes project design, propulsion system, control systems, battery sizing, and bespoke finishing.
4. Technical Audits and Expertise: Pre-transaction inspection, insurance dossier preparation, and new construction technical follow-up services including CAD drawings, classification work, stability studies, and complete design services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Chantier Naval Borg is a traditional wooden boat shipyard in Marseille that constructs, renovates, and restores bespoke wooden vessels. Core offerings include new boat construction (barquettes, fiftys, motor yachts, prestige racing-cruising sailboats), comprehensive restoration and renovation services for classic and modern wooden boats, electric propulsion refits, and technical audits. The shipyard combines rare marine carpentry craftsmanship with modern strip-planking techniques and operates from a historic site at Anse du Pharo.

Product overview

Chantier Naval Borg is a traditional wooden boat shipyard offering a unified portfolio of boat building and restoration services. The core offering centers on three main activities: new construction (including their proprietary L'Olivier Fifty dayboat launched in 2023), comprehensive renovation and restoration of classic and modern wooden vessels, and electric propulsion refits. These are supported by in-house capabilities including a design office (Bureau d'Étude) for CAD drawings, stability studies, and structural work, as well as technical audit services. The shipyard specializes in Mediterranean traditional vessels, particularly the barquette marseillaise, and combines centuries-old marine carpentry techniques with modern strip-planking and composite methods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fifty: A product line of traditional wooden boats designed by Chantier Naval Borg, starting with 'L'Olivier', a dayboat combining sailing and electric motor propulsion with high-end craftsmanship.

Products and services

• L'Olivier (Fifty) L'Olivier is a luxury dayboat/sailboat featuring strip planking (wood-epoxy) construction, electric dual motorization (2x6kW), and bespoke craftsmanship. Designed for day sailing and coastal cruising with a generous cockpit, outdoor kitchen, and king-size forward cabin. Comes standard with a Raymarine navigation electronics package (Pack Pilote EV1). Commercialized exclusively by the Chantier Naval Borg shipyard.
• Rénovation (Boat Restoration & Renovation)

Quantifiable outcome

• 12-month lead time from order to delivery for Fifty model
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered key and supporting.

• Maxime Tombroff (Naval Architect)keyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaborated with naval architect Maxime Tombroff for the design of L'Olivier, the first Fifty model in Borg's new product range. Tombroff worked alongside colleagues Olivier Taillard and Charles Bertrand to create the vessel design.
• Daniel Scotto (Marine Carpenter)keyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Original idea for the Fifty (L'Olivier) came from Chantier Borg and marine carpenter Daniel Scotto before being developed with naval architects.
• Regional Artisans NetworksupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLong-term relationships with the best local artisans including riggers, mechanics, metalworkers, electricians, and upholsterers. The same quality is required from each trade for comprehensive renovation project management.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pendennis Shipyard: Falmouth, UK yard specializing in superyacht refit, restoration, and new build of sailing and motor yachts. Comparable on the high-end restoration/refit business model serving classic and contemporary yacht owners, though at a larger scale.
• Spirit Yachts: UK-based builder of bespoke wooden sailing yachts using modern wood-epoxy construction, offering both new builds and refits to a similar high-net-worth classic-yacht clientele. Highly comparable on construction technology (wood-epoxy/strip planking) and luxury positioning.
• Brooklin Boatyard: Maine-based wooden boatbuilder constructing traditionally inspired powerboats and sailboats using modern wood-epoxy methods. Direct comparable on strip-planking technology, semi-custom series strategy, and craft-led marketing approach.
• Latitude 46: French wooden sailing yacht builder based in Toulon, focused on semi-custom mahogany and composite sailing yachts in the 36–50 ft range. Closest comparable in terms of product category, geographic footprint, and Mediterranean craft heritage.
• W-Class Yachts: US-based builder restoring and producing wooden racing-cruising yachts based on the classic White Rule W-Class designs. Direct peer in classic wooden yacht restoration, new construction, and racing-cruising segment.

Broad incumbents

• Vitters Shipyard: Dutch builder of high-performance luxury sailing yachts. Comparable on bespoke luxury sailing yacht positioning and technical engineering depth, though Vitters focuses on carbon/composite builds rather than traditional wood.
• Royal Huisman: Dutch builder of fully custom luxury sailing yachts and motoryachts. Adjacent comparable in custom luxury sailing yacht construction and full-project management capabilities, though at substantially larger scale and with broader capability footprint.
• Chantiers de l'Atlantique: France's largest shipyard based in Saint-Nazaire, building cruise ships, naval vessels, and complex marine structures. Broad incumbent reference point for the French marine industry; one of Borg's carpenters (Iman Adamczyk) previously worked there.
• Beneteau Group: World's largest recreational boatbuilder, headquartered in France. Broad incumbent reference point for French sailboat manufacturing, though their mass-market production approach is fundamentally different from Borg's craft-led model.

Emerging players

• RM Yachts (Fora Marine): French builder of modern sailing yachts using infused composite and wood-composite construction. Comparable on product positioning (semi-custom sailing yachts) and French footprint, though their construction technology is more composite-led than traditional wood.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/chantiernavalborg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chantier-naval-borg

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Borg