Manufacturer catalog

Chantiers de l'Atlantique

Chantiers de l'Atlantique is the Saint-Nazaire shipyard behind French and export naval programs as well as large passenger ships and offshore-energy structures. Its defense work centers on complex surface ships, including surveillance frigates, amphibious helicopter carriers, and French Navy support-ship construction.

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The company traces the Chantiers de l'Atlantique name to the 1955 combination of the Chantiers de la Loire and Chantiers de Penhoët shipyards at Saint-Nazaire. The yard later operated through Alsthom Atlantique, Aker Yards, and STX France before returning to the Chantiers de l'Atlantique name in 2018.

For naval programs, Chantiers de l'Atlantique presents itself as a manufacturer of patrol boats, frigates, helicopter carriers, and other surface ships. Its own military-ships page says more than twenty surface ships have been delivered to navies since 1980 and identifies the yard's current work on French Logistic Support Ships and the hull of France's next-generation aircraft carrier.

Naval surface shipsAmphibious helicopter carriersSurveillance frigatesLogistic support shipsComplex ship integrationOffshore energy structures

Notable Systems

Floréal class frigate, Surveillance frigate class, Naval Systems

Floréal class frigate

Surveillance frigate class

Chantiers de l'Atlantique's Floréal reference describes the Mohammed V series frigates and their maritime-surveillance, patrol, protection, assistance, search-and-rescue, medical-evacuation, and environmental-protection mission set.

Sources: Floréal Frigate Class - Chantiers de l'Atlantique
Mistral-class landing helicopter dock, Landing helicopter dock, Naval Systems

Mistral-class landing helicopter dock

Landing helicopter dock

Chantiers de l'Atlantique says the Mistral-class projection and command ships were designed and built with Naval Group and combine amphibious, helicopter-carrier, command-post, hospital, and logistics roles.

Sources: Mistral Class BPC - Chantiers de l'Atlantique

Manufacturer History

  1. Chantiers de l'Atlantique name created

    The company history states that the Chantiers de l'Atlantique name followed the merger of Chantiers de la Loire and Chantiers de Penhoët in 1955.

    Sources: History - Chantiers de l'Atlantique

  2. Alsthom Atlantique formed

    Chantiers de l'Atlantique and Alsthom merged in October 1976, creating the Alsthom Atlantique group during a period of major shipyard reorganization.

    Sources: History - Chantiers de l'Atlantique

  3. STX Europe era begins

    The Saint-Nazaire shipyard became part of STX Europe after STX became the main shareholder of Aker Yards, while the yard continued in complex passenger, navy, offshore, and specialized-ship markets.

    Sources: History - Chantiers de l'Atlantique

  4. Original name restored under French state control

    STX France became a state-owned company and was officially renamed Chantiers de l'Atlantique, with the French state holding 84.34 percent and Naval Group 11.67 percent.

    Sources: History - Chantiers de l'Atlantique

  5. Naval order book includes French support ships

    The company's military-ships page says its order book included four Logistic Support Ships for the French Navy, with deliveries planned by 2029, and work on the hull for France's next-generation aircraft carrier.

    Sources: Military Ships - Chantiers de l'Atlantique

Predecessors
Chantiers de la LoireChantiers de Penhoët
Website links
Official websiteMilitary shipsCompany historyMistral Class BPCFloréal Frigate Class

Company pages are used for corporate history, current ownership, address, and naval-program descriptions. Weapon-specific operational and conflict-use claims remain in the individual weapon records.

Manufacturer Sources

  • Chantiers de l'Atlantique official websitePublisher: Chantiers de l'Atlantique | Note: Supports the official website, Saint-Nazaire address, and the company's description of its design, integration, testing, turnkey delivery, ship life-cycle support, and offshore-energy activities. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Military Ships - Chantiers de l'AtlantiquePublisher: Chantiers de l'Atlantique | Note: Supports the naval focus areas, post-1980 surface-ship deliveries, French Logistic Support Ship order-book context, and next-generation aircraft-carrier hull role. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • History - Chantiers de l'AtlantiquePublisher: Chantiers de l'Atlantique | Note: Supports the 1955 name creation, later Alsthom Atlantique, Aker Yards and STX Europe eras, 2018 restoration of the Chantiers de l'Atlantique name, and ownership percentages. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Mistral Class BPC - Chantiers de l'AtlantiquePublisher: Chantiers de l'Atlantique | Note: Supports Chantiers de l'Atlantique and Naval Group design/build attribution for the Mistral-class projection and command ships and their amphibious, aviation, command, hospital, and logistics roles. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Floréal Frigate Class - Chantiers de l'AtlantiquePublisher: Chantiers de l'Atlantique | Note: Supports the Floréal/Mohammed V series reference, mission set, propulsion, detection, communications, and weapons information. | Accessed: 2026-07-11

Produced weapons

Category

Naval Systems

Warships, submarines, unmanned surface vessels, naval craft, and maritime combat systems.

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Floréal class frigate, Surveillance frigate class, Naval Systems2008 Somali Piracy / Operation AtalantaFloréal class frigateSurveillance frigate classBuilt in: FranceThe Floréal class is a French surveillance-frigate family built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique for overseas presence, maritime policing, fisheries protection, and lower-threat patrol missions. The ships combine long range, helicopter facilities, a medium naval gun, light weapons, and formerly Exocet MM38 missiles; Nivôse is directly documented in EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta counter-piracy interdiction off Somalia.