Chantiers de l'Atlantique is growing again thanks to offshore wind power

"Creating a new industry in France in the 21st century, we are pioneers!" exclaims Frédéric Grizaud, director of the Marine Energy activity at the last major shipyard in France, where giant cruise ships emerge.

"I launched this business at a time when there was very little talk of offshore wind power in France," he says at the foot of the electrical substation for the Dieppe Le Tréport wind farm.

This immense structure, measuring 40 meters by 30 meters and 20 meters high, is currently being completed in Saint-Nazaire. The substations are used to concentrate the electrical current from the wind turbines and then increase its voltage before injecting it into the distribution network managed by RTE.

"It's worth between 100 and 300 million," emphasizes Frédéric Grizaud.

It will be installed next summer. The project, like the one in Yeu-Noirmoutier, is being led by Ocean Winds, a company owned by Engie and EDP Renewables (EDPR).

Chantiers de l'Atlantique launched its offshore wind project in 2010. At the time, its main shareholder was the South Korean STX Business Group, and the shipyards were called STX Europe. However, due to the economic crisis, the company was facing competitiveness issues, and several orders were canceled.

It then launched a plan to get back on track, relying in particular on its Marine Energy business. It became Chantiers de l'Atlantique again in 2018 and is now 84,34% owned by the State Participation Agency and 11,67% by Naval Group.

"We immediately focused on the export market. We started in offshore wind power in Northern Europe, with contracts in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Belgium," says Frédéric Grizaud.

The activity "is now half in France, half in export. We are one of the major exporters in the sector."

Competitiveness to "fight"

Turnover "doubled between 2023 and 2024" and will "double again" between 2024 and 2025. "This is a real growth in activity. We will be around 400 million this year." The shipyards employ 420 people, but "every day, there are between 600 and 700 people" on our projects, says Mr. Grizaud.

The work ranges from design to construction of the metal structure, painting, and the integration of "100% European, 80% French" equipment, he emphasizes. According to him, the Tréport substation involved approximately 200 companies across France.

"Offshore wind power doesn't just irrigate the industrial fabric of the maritime coasts," he emphasizes. The subcontracted turnover is distributed "half on the western coast of France and half across the whole of the east, Auvergne, Rhône-Alpes, Burgundy, Franche-Comté, and PACA."

Internationally, the shipyards' main competitors are European. "It's an industry that was invented in Europe, in which it has developed skills and competitiveness that allow us to compete," says Frédéric Grizaud.

According to him, "45% of offshore wind power in the world is in Europe, 40-45% in China, and around ten percent in the United States, Taiwan, and a few other countries." However, the Chinese market "is completely closed to us, it is completely separate," he notes.

In the short term, the shipyards will invest €100 million to double the production capacity of its substations. In particular, plans include a second-largest paint cell in Europe to double production capacity.

Then, "around 2040," they aim to replace the first wind turbines put into service in the early 2000s.

"When you're a manufacturer, when there's a market, when you're competitive, when you're successful, you want to continue investing and hiring," Frédéric Grizaud rejoices. Fifteen years later, he makes one observation: "You can make industry competitive in France and in Europe, but (...) you can't fall asleep. If you fall asleep, you're dead."