Construction of warships, fast patrol boats and research vessels at the Cherbourg shipyard
Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie (CMN)
Cherbourg (FR)New on Amplifa
About CMN
Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie (CMN) is a French shipyard based in Cherbourg (Normandy) and part of the CMN Naval Group. Since its founding in 1946 by aircraft manufacturer Félix Amiot, the company has built more than 450 vessels, including warships, fast patrol boats, minesweepers, coastal patrol boats, patrol vessels and research ships. CMN became known in the 1960s for its patented glued laminated timber technique, which enabled non-magnetic and sound-absorbing hulls; today the portfolio includes corvette designs such as the Combattante BR70/BR71 Mk II. Around 450 employees cover all disciplines of naval shipbuilding as well as adjacent marine services. Through its subsidiary HydroQuest, CMN is also active in the field of ocean energy. The Cherbourg site comprises around 48,000 m² of covered production space on a site of approximately 110,000 m², with a slipway for vessels up to 700 tonnes and a Syncrolift with 3,000 tonnes lifting capacity.
- Site
- Cherbourg, France
- Processes
- Shipbuilding, Research vessels, Marine services, Ocean energy (via subsidiary HydroQuest)
- Materials
- Glued laminated timber technique (patented), Steel
- Certificates
- ISO 9001
- Founded
- 1946
- Employees
- 450
- Industries
- Navy/Naval, Shipbuilding, Research, Ocean energy
- 01
Design and engineering
- 02
Hull construction
- 03
Outfitting and assembly
- 04
Launch (slipway/Syncrolift)
- 05
Sea trials and handover
Construction Methods and Facilities
Glued laminated timber technique (patented)
Glued laminated timber construction method patented by CMN for non-magnetic, sound-absorbing vessel hulls, in particular minesweepers.
Steel
Material for corvette and warship hulls such as the Baynunah and BR71 Mk II classes.
Locations
Cherbourg
FRShipyard/Production
- Part weight / size
- Vessels up to 700 t on the slipway, Syncrolift up to 3,000 t
- Materials
- Steel, glued laminated timber
- Slipway for vessels under 700 t
- Syncrolift with 3,000 t lifting capacity
- Production halls (48,000 m² covered)
Built Vessels
Inside the production
Industries
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syncrolift | – | 1 | – | – | Cherbourg |
| Slipway | – | 1 | – | – | Cherbourg |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
The shipyard supplies numerous navies, including France, Germany, Israel, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Angola; concrete certifications are not documented in the sources.
| Evidence | Cherbourg |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 1946
Shipyard founded by aircraft manufacturer Félix Amiot in Cherbourg
- 1948
Launch of the first vessel, a wooden trawler, on 23 June
- 1960er
Specialisation in vessels built using the patented glued laminated timber technique, including minesweepers for the French and German navies
- 1964
Lürssen agreement: CMN builds nine fast patrol boats of the La Combattante II class for Israel
- 1967
Diversification into fast patrol boats with glued laminated timber hulls
- 1970
First minehunter of the Circé class launched; German Federal Navy orders 20 La Combattante II fast patrol boats (Tiger class)
- 2000er
Development of the Combattante BR70, basis for the Baynunah-class corvettes of the UAE Navy
- 2019
Delivery of two warships to Saudi Arabia
- 2026
Launch of the BR71 Mk II corvette NRA Ekuikui II (F 300) for the Angolan Navy