A partnership of three marine industry figures has been chosen to take over Neel Trimarans.
It is understood that two offers were in contention, with the partnership of Martin Volt, Martin Lepoutre, and Maxime Vedrenne appointed by the La Rochelle commercial court, following a decision to place the French shipyard in receivership in December 2025.
The three have extensive marine industry experience with Martin Volt, incoming president of Neel, head of maintenance shipyard Bosco.
Martin Lepoutre was a long-term manager of Fora Marine, former builder of RM trimarans, before returning to the same brand, which was acquired by the Grand Large group in early 2020.
Maxime Vedrenne was sales director of Fora Marine before becoming a Neel dealer. He takes on the position of managing director.
Ten units a year
The offer is set to save 46 jobs out of a total of 57 employees, with the plan envisioning a gradual restart, with production targeted at around ten units per year – a plan that is markedly different to past objectives.
The partners say the current objective is to restore economic balance by adapting volumes to current market demand as well as to the realities of the niche sector of the market.
Neel Trimarans produced its first protoype in 2010, with the company’s first production boat built in 2011.
In 2022, the company launched its charter subsidiary, specialising in the rental and sale of the yard’s vessels, followed by the launch of the first Leen motor powered model.
Cash-flow problems
The builder was impacted by the market slowdown, with its financial difficulties culminating in December 2025 with a bankruptcy filing with the aim of protecting the workers, preserving jobs and ensuring the continuity of industrial activities.
The shipyard had been struggling since a major American client failed to pay for several ordered vessels.
“This situation has forced the company to self-finance the construction of these boats, generating cash-flow problems despite the corrective measures implemented,” Neel Trimarans explained in a statement at the time.
