GROUPE DESGAGNES INC

What GROUPE DESGAGNES INC does

Groupe Desgagnés Inc is a privately held, Quebec-based maritime shipping group that traces its operations to the 19th century and is headquartered at 21 rue du Marché-Champlain in Quebec City. The group owns and operates a fleet of 22 Canadian-flagged vessels (13 multipurpose cargo ships, 8 liquid-bulk tankers, and 1 passenger/cargo vessel) serving customers across the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Seaway system, the East Coast of Canada and the United States, and the Canadian Arctic. Its technical differentiation is concentrated in dual-fuel (diesel/LNG) propulsion, polar-class vessel designs for Arctic sealift, double-hull tanker construction for oil and chemical cargoes, and heavy-lift crane capability of up to 500 tonnes on several multipurpose ships; much of the modern fleet (Damia, Gaïa, Mia, and Paul A Desgagnés) was custom-built to Desgagnés' own specifications at the Besiktas Shipyard in Turkey beginning in 2017. All vessels are Transport Canada certified and comply with the ISPS Code.

The group's commercial model is operated through 10 wholly-owned subsidiaries that function as specialized channels by service line and geography: Navigation Desgagnés (cargo chartering), Pétro-Nav (tanker chartering for petroleum and chemicals), Desgagnés Transarctik (Arctic sealift serving Nunavik and Nunavut, operating for over 50 years), Relais Nordik (passenger and cargo service on the Moyenne and Basse-Côte-Nord), Desgagnés Atlantik (eastern Canada and US sales), Services Maritimes Desgagnés (ship repair), Tessier (land-based heavy machinery, lashing, intermodal transfer, and road transport), Boréal Grues (Labrador crane services), Desgagnés Logistik / Valport (terminal and stevedoring at Port of Valleyfield), and Transport Desgagnés (vessel ownership and operation). Revenue streams combine chartering/affreightment fees on cargo and tanker tonnage, regulated coastal service tariffs, professional services for ship repair and terminal handling, and land-based logistics contracts.

Customer concentration is spread across mining and resource extraction companies operating in the Canadian Arctic, oil and chemical producers requiring liquid-bulk transport, industrial and manufacturing firms needing general cargo and heavy-lift capability, and remote coastal communities dependent on Relais Nordik. GTM motion is sales-led, with regional subsidiary offices acting as primary points of contact and a small marketing footprint centered on the corporate website and a CBC documentary series ("High Arctic Haulers"). The company is privately held with no public ticker, no disclosed revenue or headcount, and no recent M&A or external funding activity; growth to date has been funded organically through newbuild capex and supported by long-tenured Canadian-flagged operations.

Name

GROUPE DESGAGNES INC

Legal name

Groupe Desgagnés Inc

Website

https://groupedesgagnes.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Groupe Desgagnés is a privately held Quebec-based maritime group operating 22 Canadian-flagged vessels (cargo, tankers, passenger/cargo) through 10 specialized subsidiaries, serving mining, oil/chemical, industrial, and remote coastal community customers across the St. Lawrence Seaway, Eastern Canada, and the Canadian Arctic.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Shipping Services

NAICS

Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation (48311), Coastal and Great Lakes Freight Transportation (483113)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412)

akta.pro primary industry

Bulk Dry Cargo Carriers (Capesize/Panamax/Supramax/Handysize) (TLADABAC)

Keywords

• Maritime shipping services
• Liquid bulk transport
• Arctic sealift services
• Vessel chartering
• Heavy lift cargo

Headquarters

HQ city

Québec

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Maritime cargo transport services: Chartering and affreightment of cargo vessels for transport of general goods and dry bulk commodities. Includes project cargo for special heavy equipment transport.
2. Liquid bulk transport (oil and chemicals): Transport of petroleum products and chemicals via tanker vessels. Services commercialized through Pétro-Nav subsidiary.
3. Passenger and cargo maritime service: Coastal maritime service for passengers and goods serving the Middle and Lower North Shore (Moyenne et Basse-Côte-Nord) regions via Relais Nordik.
4. Arctic maritime services: Arctic sealift and community supply services for Nunavik and Nunavut via Desgagnés Transarctik, serving mining projects and remote communities.
5. Ship maintenance and repair services: Naval maintenance and repair services through Services Maritimes Desgagnés.
6. Terrestrial operations: Lashing, crane operations, heavy machinery, intermodal transfer and road transport through Tessier subsidiary.
7. Terminal and stevedoring operations: Stevedoring and terminal operations through Desgagnés Logistik (Valport) at Port of Valleyfield.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Groupe Desgagnés is a Quebec-based maritime shipping group operating a fleet of 22 Canadian-flagged vessels providing maritime transport services including general cargo and dry bulk shipping, liquid bulk (petroleum and chemical) transport, Arctic sealift, and coastal passenger/cargo services. The company also offers ancillary land-based services such as ship maintenance and repair, stevedoring, terminal operations, crane rental, heavy machinery, and road transport through its subsidiaries.

Product overview

Desgagnés is a Quebec-based maritime shipping group operating a fleet of 22 Canadian-flagged vessels, comprising 13 dry cargo ships, 8 liquid tankers, and 1 passenger/cargo vessel. The company operates through multiple subsidiaries providing complementary maritime and land-based services: Desgagnés Atlantik (maritime transport support for eastern Canada/US), Desgagnés Transarctik (Arctic shipping), Navigation Desgagnés (cargo vessel chartering), Pétro-Nav (oil/chemical tanker chartering), Relais Nordik (coastal passenger/cargo service), Services Maritimes Desgagnés (ship maintenance/repair), Tessier (heavy machinery and road transport), Transport Desgagnés (cargo ship/tanker operations), Boréal Grues (crane services), and Desgagnés Logistik/Valport (stevedoring and terminal operations). The fleet operates across the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway, Canadian Arctic, and international waters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Valport: Lashing and terminal operations brand of Desgagnés Logistik at Port of Valleyfield
• Arctic Sealift
• Relais Nordik

Products and services

• Navigation Desgagnés — Cargo Vessel Chartering Commercialization and chartering of cargo vessels for general cargo and dry bulk transport. Based in Quebec City. Serves industrial and manufacturing companies requiring maritime transport of general goods, dry bulk commodities, and project cargo.
• Pétro-Nav — Liquid Bulk Tanker Chartering Commercialization and chartering of tanker vessels for liquid bulk transport of petroleum products and chemicals. Based in Montreal. Operates a fleet of 8 tanker vessels including double-hull oil and chemical tankers.
• Desgagnés Transarctik — Arctic Maritime Services Arctic Canadian shipping operating for over 50 years, serving Nunavik and Nunavut in collaboration with business partners. Provides community service and specialized mining project support for Northern Canada.
• Relais Nordik — Coastal Passenger and Cargo Service Maritime service providing passenger and cargo transport for the Middle and Lower North Shore (Moyenne et Basse-Côte-Nord) regions. Operates from Rimouski and Sept-Îles, Quebec. Serves remote coastal communities and Anticosti Island.
• Services Maritimes Desgagnés — Ship Maintenance and Repair Ship maintenance and repair specialist based in Quebec City. Provides naval maintenance, repair, and refloating services.
• Tessier — Land-Based Operations Specialist in land-based operations including lashing, rigging, heavy machinery, intermodal transfer, and road transport. Based in Baie-Comeau, Quebec.
• Boréal Grues — Crane Rental and Lifting Services Labrador-based company offering turnkey crane management specializing in lifting operations, handling, and crane rental services. Based in Labrador City.
• Desgagnés Logistik (Valport) — Terminal and Stevedoring Operations Specialized in lashing and terminal operations, offering cargo handling services at the Port of Valleyfield. Supports development of Port of Valleyfield and surrounding community.
• Desgagnés Atlantik — Eastern Canada/US Commercial Point of Contact First point of contact for eastern Canada and US companies for maritime transport support and heavy equipment. Based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Quantifiable outcome

• Environmental protection through dual-fuel LNG vessels reducing emissions compared to traditional heavy fuel oil

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Besiktas Shipyard (Turkey)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2017Custom shipbuilding partnership with Besiktas shipyard in Turkey. Desgagnés developed original vessel concepts (including Damia Desgagnés, Mia Desgagnés, and Paul A Desgagnés) which were constructed at the Besiktas shipyard according to Desgagnés specifications and designs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NEAS (Nunavut Eastern Arctic Shipping Inc.): Provides marine cargo services to remote communities and mines across the Eastern Canadian Arctic. Directly comparable to Desgagnés Transarctik in Nunavut sealift, community resupply, and project cargo for northern mining operations.
• CSL Group (Canada Steamship Lines): Operates the world's largest fleet of self-unloading ships on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, plus international ocean shipping. Directly comparable to Desgagnés in dry bulk Great Lakes/St. Lawrence carriage and integrated marine logistics.
• Fednav Limited: Canada's largest private bulk shipowner operating a fleet of dry bulk carriers worldwide, including Arctic and Great Lakes trades. Directly comparable to Desgagnés in dry bulk ocean carriage, Arctic sealift, and Canadian-flag operations.
• Algoma Central Corporation: Canadian marine transportation company operating dry bulk and tanker vessels on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence, plus a coastal passenger ferry segment. Closely comparable to Desgagnés in Great Lakes dry bulk and multi-segment Canadian maritime operations.
• Oceanex Inc. Operates a ro-ro/container service between Newfoundland and the mainland, plus project cargo. Comparable to Desgagnés' East Coast Canada operations, including Relais Nordik coastal service and Navigation Desgagnés cargo chartering.
• McKeil Marine Limited: Canadian marine service provider with Great Lakes bulk carriers, tankers, and project cargo tonnage, plus ship repair. Comparable to Desgagnés in liquid bulk (Pétro-Nav), dry cargo (Navigation Desgagnés), and ship repair (Services Maritimes Desgagnés).
• Groupe C.T.M.A. Quebec-based cooperative operating ferry and cargo services in the Magdalen Islands, Gaspé, and North Shore. Comparable to Desgagnés in coastal Quebec passenger/cargo service and regional marine logistics model.

Broad incumbents

• BC Ferries: Largest Canadian passenger ferry operator serving coastal British Columbia routes. Adjacent comparable to Relais Nordik's coastal passenger and cargo service on the North Shore, though larger in passenger scale.
• Hapag-Lloyd AG: Global container liner with growing LNG-fueled newbuild fleet. Broadly comparable to Desgagnés' investment in dual-fuel LNG propulsion and exposure to ocean freight markets, though operating at vastly larger scale and in containers rather than bulk/project cargo.

Regional players

• Woodward Group of Companies: Atlantic Canadian industrial group with crane, heavy haul, and marine logistics operations, particularly in Newfoundland and Labrador. Comparable to Desgagnés' Tessier and Boréal Grues land-based heavy lift and crane services adjacent to its marine fleet.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groupe-desgagnes-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries10 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 GROUPE DESGAGNES INC