Manufacturer catalog

Merré Shipyard

Merré Shipyard is a French naval and workboat manufacturer based at Nort-sur-Erdre near Nantes. Its public portfolio spans 12-to-80-metre steel and aluminium vessels, including dredging craft, harbour tugs, pilotage and port-work boats, passenger craft, environmental vessels, and recent French Navy support-boat programs.

2 weapons

Founded in 1921 by Alphonse Merré, the shipyard built a long civil maritime and river-vessel business before entering more visible French defense work. Merré says it moved to the current Nort-sur-Erdre site in 1964, produced more than one hundred trawlers from 1970 to 1990, took a stake in Mecasoud at Saint-Nazaire in 1999 to help build larger units, and joined BMA Group in 2012.

The defense connection in this catalog centers on compact naval support craft rather than large combatants. Public French procurement and naval reporting identify Merré or the wider BMA industrial group with the Ophrys-class VSP diving-support and mine-countermeasures boats, the SEEM 12-800ST/RP10 harbour tug program, and a later French Navy port-work-barge contract.

Steel and aluminium naval craftDiving-support and mine-countermeasures support boatsHarbour tugs and pusher tugsPort-work craftDredging and workboat constructionCustom engineering, outfitting, commissioning, and after-sales support

Notable Systems

Ophrys class, Dive support and mine countermeasures vessel class, Naval Systems

Ophrys class

Dive support and mine countermeasures vessel class

Eight French Navy VSP diving-support boats procured for shallow-water mine-countermeasures and clearance-diver support; public reporting identifies Merré Shipyard/BMA as the production contractor for the lead boat and follow-on series.

Sources: DGA launches series production of new diving tenders for French Navy, Ophrys - New minehunting dive boat delivered to French Navy
SEEM 12-800ST, 10-tonne bollard-pull harbour pusher tug, Naval Systems

SEEM 12-800ST / RP10 pusher tug

10-tonne bollard-pull harbour pusher tug

Merré's official SEEM 12-800ST product page describes an 11.75 m, 10-tonne-bollard-pull coastal tug design; French DGA material identifies SEE Merré with the RP10 pusher-tug program for French Navy port operations.

Sources: Merré Remorqueur SEEM 12-800ST, DGA receives 18th 10-tonne pusher tug

Manufacturer History

  1. Company founded

    Merré says Alphonse Merré founded the company in 1921, giving the yard a century-long base in river and maritime construction.

    Sources: Merré Notre Groupe

  2. Nort-sur-Erdre site established

    André-Pierre Merré established Merré on the current Nort-sur-Erdre site north of Nantes, where the yard developed broad river and maritime vessel production.

    Sources: Merré Notre Groupe

  3. BMA Group takes over Merré

    Merré's group history records BMA Group, led by Moun Bourjij and François Martin, taking over the yard on 31 May 2012.

    Sources: Merré Notre Groupe

  4. Ophrys lead-boat contract

    Janes reports that BMA Group's Merré Shipyard received the first VSP diving-tender contract in December 2019, with seven options tied to trials and evaluation.

    Sources: DGA launches series production of new diving tenders for French Navy

  5. Ophrys follow-on production approved

    The French DGA approved series production of seven follow-on VSP boats after satisfactory trials of the lead Ophrys vessel.

    Sources: DGA launches series production of new diving tenders for French Navy

  6. French Navy CTP contract concluded

    A published contract-award notice lists Société des Établissements Merré as winner of a DGA contract for French Navy port-work barges intended for anchoring, lifting, and base-protection support at Toulon and Brest.

    Sources: French Navy CTP contract award

Website links
Official websiteCompany history and BMA GroupDefense market pageSEEM 12-800ST product page

Public sources use Merré, SEE Merré, SEEM, and Société des Établissements Merré for the same Nort-sur-Erdre shipyard. Defense reporting often describes the work through BMA Group because BMA also includes CIB at Brest, which participates in small-craft production.

Manufacturer Sources

  • Merré official websitePublisher: Merré | Note: Supports current company focus, 12-to-80-metre steel and aluminium vessel range, service chain from architecture through after-sales support, and dredging/workboat specialization. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Merré Notre GroupePublisher: Merré | Note: Supports founding, Nort-sur-Erdre site history, BMA Group ownership, related BMA entities, workforce/facility context, and headquarters location. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Merré DéfensePublisher: Merré | Note: Supports Merré's public defense-market positioning, contact address, and the official image used for the manufacturer profile. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Merré Remorqueur SEEM 12-800STPublisher: Merré | Note: Supports the SEEM 12-800ST tug designation, dimensions, power, 10-tonne bollard pull, hull materials, systems, and official product image. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • DGA launches series production of new diving tenders for French NavyPublisher: Janes | Note: Supports Merré Shipyard/BMA contract context for Ophrys-class VSP production, the eight-boat program, and the 2023 follow-on production decision. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Ophrys - New minehunting dive boat delivered to French NavyPublisher: Baird Maritime | Note: Supports Merré Shipyard as manufacturer of the Ophrys-class dive-support boat, Neuman design context, aluminium construction, dimensions, propulsion, sensors, and mission role. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • DGA receives 18th 10-tonne pusher tugPublisher: French Ministry of the Armed Forces | Note: Supports the French DGA acceptance context for RP10 10-tonne pusher tugs and identifies SEE Merré with the program. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • French Navy CTP contract awardPublisher: La Centrale des Marchés / TED notice mirror | Note: Supports the 2024 DGA award to Société des Établissements Merré for French Navy port-work barges serving Toulon and Brest base-support tasks. | Accessed: 2026-07-11

Produced weapons

Category

Naval Systems

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

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SEEM 12-800ST, 10-tonne bollard-pull harbour pusher tug, Naval SystemsSEEM 12-800ST10-tonne bollard-pull harbour pusher tugBuilt in: FranceThe SEEM 12-800ST is Merré Shipyard's compact French harbour pusher-tug design associated with the French Navy RP10 10-tonne tug program. It is a relationship-only naval support entry because the public record documents port-service duties, not conflict deployment. The design combines a steel hull, aluminium wheelhouse, twin diesel propulsion, ducted CuProAlu propellers, and a 10-tonne bollard-pull class for assisting surface ships and submarines in naval bases.