Crandall Dry Dock Engineers, Inc Is Up for Sale

The family of Crandall Dry Dock’s late owner P. Brian Duffy is seeking a buyer for the Bourne, Mass. shipyard engineering and services firm.

Originally founded in Boston in 1854, Crandall Dry Dock was acquired by Duffy, a former employee, in 1994. The company, which specializes in shipyard rail systems, is known for its engineering and design work as well as the supply of specialized hardware and equipment for use in marine railway systems.

“Crandall designed and installed marine railways all over the world, including many places in the United States, Canada, Europe and the Pacific, and over 200 of these are still in existence,” said Larry Mullen, an attorney at Wadland & Ackerman in Andover, Mass., who represents the family trust that assumed ownership of the company following Duffy’s death in October 2022. “Over the years, the company has designed, installed, maintained and repaired the railways and certified and inspected them when necessary.”

In recent years, Crandall’s focus shifted mainly toward the sale of replacement hardware like chain, shackles and roller frames, Mullen said, noting that the company became inactive when Duffy passed.

“The Crandall name is one that’s well respected and well known among shipyards that have marine railways. There’s still a customer base out there that needs the Crandall hardware.”

Crandall still holds its intellectual property, including all the plans and proprietary designs for its marine railways and hardware, Mullen said.