chantier de l'arsenal

What chantier de l'arsenal does

Chantier de l'Arsenal is a custom catamaran builder based in La Rochelle that serves maritime-tourism operators, scheduled passenger-transport providers, private yacht owners, and public-sector customers. Its portfolio includes DAY 1 catamarans from 50 to 90 feet with capacities of up to 220 passengers, the electric Greencat 52, the SAILCOOP series, NSO electric shuttles, and the OMNI art installation. Revenue is generated through project-based custom design and construction work, but no public per-vessel prices, order book, or financial results are provided.\n\nThe company builds composite vessels with One Shape®, a mold-free process that uses flat panels and vacuum infusion. Its 4,000 m² Atelier One Shape, described as a positive-energy shipyard and inaugurated on September 23, 2025, has stated capacity for 8-10 giant multihulls annually. More than 20 DAY 1 catamarans have reportedly been delivered since 2015, establishing a recurring production base, although actual annual throughput is not disclosed.\n\nThe supplied data lists 35 internal employees and 32 Yacht Concept staff, indicating access to both production and specialist design resources, but it does not specify the legal or financial relationship between the two organizations. The available evidence therefore supports a low-volume custom manufacturing profile; no public evidence establishes common ownership or standardized mass production.

Name

chantier de l'arsenal

Legal name

SAS CHANTIER DE L'ARSENAL

Website

https://chantierdelarsenal.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Chantier de l'Arsenal designs and builds custom composite catamarans in La Rochelle for maritime tourism, passenger transport, and private owners, using its mold-free One Shape vacuum-infusion process with electric and sailing configurations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Composite Catamaran Shipbuilding

NAICS

Boat Building (336612)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Catamaran & Multihull Leisure Craft Manufacturing (IMAJAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Passenger Ferries & Water Taxis (Fast Ferries, RoPax, Catamarans) (IMAJADAC)

Keywords

• Composite catamaran construction
• Custom catamaran manufacturing
• Maxi-catamaran shipbuilding
• Passenger vessel construction
• Naval composite engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

La Rochelle

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Catamaran Manufacturing: Design and construction of fully custom-built composite catamarans for passenger transport, day charter, and private yacht use. Revenue is generated from one-time project contracts covering the full vessel from initial design through launch. Pricing varies based on size, specifications, and customization level.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chantier de l'Arsenal designs and manufactures fully custom-built composite catamarans (maxi-catamarans ranging from 50 to 90 feet with passenger capacities of 50 to 220) for maritime tourism operators, scheduled passenger transport companies, municipalities, and private yacht owners. The company uses its proprietary One Shape® mold-free composite construction process to deliver bespoke vessels — including the DAY 1 line, SAILCOOP ferries, NSO electric port shuttles, and Greencat pleasure catamarans — at costs and lead times comparable to production boats, manufacturing from its 4,000 m² positive-energy Atelier One Shape shipyard in La Pallice, La Rochelle.

Product overview

Chantier de l'Arsenal is a French manufacturer of custom-built catamarans based in La Rochelle. The company operates as an integrated shipyard combining naval architecture, engineering, and shipbuilding under one roof. Its core product portfolio includes the DAY 1 Catamaran series (custom maxi catamarans for passenger transport ranging from 50-90 feet with up to 220-passenger capacity) and specialized eco-designed vessels like the Greencat 52' (electric propulsion pleasure catamaran) and SAILCOOP series (wind-powered passenger catamarans). The company also produces electric/H2-ready port shuttles (NSO series) and non-marine projects like the OMNI musical art installation. Central to all operations is the proprietary One Shape® manufacturing process (developed 2015), which enables mold-free composite construction using recycled materials. Manufacturing is conducted at the Atelier One Shape, the world's first positive-energy shipyard (4,000 m² facility with solar panels and geothermal systems). The company collaborates with Yacht Concept design office (32 employees) for naval architecture and engineering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DAY 1 Catamarans: Custom-built maxi catamarans in composite, from 50 to 90 feet, with capacity of up to 220 passengers, designed for maritime passenger transport
• One Shape
• Atelier One Shape
• OMNI
• Greencat 52'
• SAILCOOP
• NSO 1 & 2

Products and services

• DAY 1 Catamarans
• DAY 1 Shuttle
• SAILCOOP Catamaran Series (SAILCOOP 61.01 'Isabelle' and 61.02 'Samantha')
• NSO Electric Port Shuttles (NSO 1 & NSO 2)
• Greencat 52'
• OMNI (composite musical art installation)

Quantifiable outcome

• Elimination of mold costs and fabrication time compared to traditional composite construction
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Yacht ConceptcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYacht Concept is the integrated naval architecture and engineering design office of Chantier de l'Arsenal. With 32 collaborators (reduced to 27 after relocating to the Atelier One Shape site in 2025), Yacht Concept handles architecture, engineering, and project management for all Chantier de l'Arsenal vessels. The two companies share leadership (Laurent Da Rold is president of both) and operate from the same Atelier One Shape facility in La Pallice.
• VPLP DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVPLP (Van Peteghem Lauriot-Prévost) is a renowned naval architecture firm that designed the SAILCOOP 61.01 and 61.02 passenger catamarans. VPLP brings design expertise to the One Shape construction process.
• AsselincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAsselin, together with Yacht Concept, founded Chantier de l'Arsenal in 2013. Both companies were previously involved in the reconstruction of the historic frigate Hermione in Rochefort. Asselin is the historic industrial partner in the shipyard's creation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Catana Group (Bali Catamarans): French-listed builder of large cruising catamarans (Bali and Catana brands) for charter and private ownership in the 40-70 ft segment. Directly competes with Chantier de l'Arsenal's DAY 1 line in the charter/passenger maxi-catamaran category and operates out of similar French Atlantic coast geography.
• Sunreef Yachts: Polish-based luxury custom catamaran builder (sailing and power, 50-100 ft+), serving UHNW private owners and charter operators with fully bespoke composite builds. Closely comparable to Chantier de l'Arsenal on custom scale, eco-positioning (Sunreef Eco line), and premium customer profile, though with larger brand recognition globally.
• Fountaine Pajot: Major French catamaran and sailing yacht manufacturer producing both sailing and power catamarans (40-80 ft) via semi-custom and series production methods. Closest French geographic peer; overlaps on passenger/day-charter use cases but competes primarily on production-boat economics versus Chantier de l'Arsenal's custom-built positioning.
• Outremer Catamarans: French builder of performance cruising catamarans (45-68 ft) in Grande-Motte, focused on bluewater sailing couples/families. Comparable composite construction approach, French Mediterranean/Atlantic production footprint, and overlap on affluent private-owner customer base, though more standardized than fully custom.
• HH Catamarans: US/SCandinavia-based builder of high-performance carbon-composite cruising catamarans (44-77 ft) for private owners and select charter operators. Comparable in targeting the premium end of the multihull market with advanced composite construction, though HH emphasizes racing-derived performance versus Chantier de l'Arsenal's passenger-volume focus.
• Neel Trimarans: French builder of cruising trimarans (47-65 ft) targeting private owners and small charter operations, based in La Rochelle. Directly comparable French shipyard competing in the multihull leisure segment with similar customer profile and regional talent pool, though focused on trimaran versus catamaran platforms.
• ICE Catamarans: French builder of performance cruising catamarans (50-70 ft) for private owners, based in Saint-Philibert, Brittany. Comparable custom-to-semi-custom French production model, similar 50-ft+ size range, and overlap on affluent private-owner customer base, though smaller in scale than Chantier de l'Arsenal's 35+32 headcount operation.
• Alubat: French builder of aluminum sailing catamarans (58-77 ft) under the Ovni and Catana brands (separate from Catana Group's Bali), based in Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez. Comparable custom/semi-custom French multihull shipyard competing for the same private-owner and charter-operator customer segment with a different material focus (aluminum vs. composite).

Broad incumbents

• Lagoon (Beneteau Group): World's largest catamaran manufacturer and Beneteau Group subsidiary, building production cruising catamarans from 40-78 ft. Competes with Chantier de l'Arsenal on the lower end of the size spectrum and on charter-ready vessels, but does not address the bespoke custom-build segment that defines Chantier de l'Arsenal's niche.

Emerging players

• Silent-Yachts: Austrian/Italian builder of solar-electric catamarans (60-120 ft) for private and charter use. Comparable eco-positioning with solar propulsion and recyclable materials, and overlaps on the custom 50-90 ft segment with premium private and tourism customers, but operates a different powertrain strategy versus Chantier de l'Arsenal's mixed sail/electric/hybrid approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chantier-de-l-arsenal

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 de l'arsenal