The Piriou yard started out as a straightforward repair yard fixing the Concarneau fleet’s trawlers, netters and seiners, but as the fleet grew, the yard grew with it, becoming one of the few yards in France building tuna purse seiners and large trawlers.
Today Chantiers Piriou has moved on a long way, but without leaving its roots too far behind. If the company had stuck solely with its fishing industry business, it would undoubtedly have gone the way of many other yards as the industry contracted. Instead, Piriou expanded into other areas, and today the yard in Concarneau does not have any fishing vessels on its orderbook, although its recent track record of building for the fishing industry is impressive with a series of sophisticated purse seiners for La Réunion operator Sapmer and most recently a longliner, Cap Bourbon’s Cap Kersaint, now fishing in the Southern Ocean, with all but the first if the Sapmer series delivered by Piriou’s yard in Vietnam.
Piriou has extended itself to meet its customers’ needs – primarily customers in the oil and gas sector – with activities in Vietnam, Nigeria and Algeria, as well as a design office in Poland. A recent expansion has been to develop activities in the port of Lorient, where it is now established on the Keroman site as Piriou Naval Services Lorient (PNS Lorient).
‘The yard in Concarneau is now focused on building vessels over 30 metres, so it is less competitive for smaller fishing vessels,’ managing director Vincent Faujour said.
‘However, the Keroman site in Lorient has the right infrastructure and a skilled team with fishing industry expertise that will allow us continue to offer vessels for this market, with trawlers, purse seiner and multi-purpose fishing vessels in the 15 to 24 metre range,’ he said. ‘Historically, Lorient has been a centre for the construction of fishing vessels and we want this to continue.’
The PNS Lorient facility also offers ship repair facilities up to 60 metres for a range of refit and repair services, much of which can be done under cover in its 650 square metre hangar. As well las its own facilities, PNS Lorient has access to a 650 tonne boat hoist to lift boats out of the water, a 60 by 13 metre sheltered dock and a 100 metre outfitting dock with a 6 metre water depth. In addition, PNS Lorient is delivering a range of engineering services for propulsion systems, pipe work and much else, as well as engine services for ABC, MAK, MAN and Wartsila engines.
The remaining question mark is the bid for the STX yard, also located close to Lorient. The STX yard at Rohu specialises in the construction and outfitting of State Action at Sea vessels, including customs, coast guard and military craft. Piriou has had in interest in acquiring the yard from STX France and a bid has been placed, although a competing bid is also on the table from Cherbourg yard CMN and the two bids are currently being examined by STX France.
