Louis Dreyfus Armateurs to be taken over by French private equity firm

French family-owned shipowner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has revealed takeover talks with compatriot private equity firm InfraVia.

The two companies have entered exclusive negotiations for Paris-based InfraVia to acquire an 80% stake in LDA which currently manages 23 ships in roro, offshore wind support and cable laying segments.

The Louis-Dreyfus family would retain a 20% ownership in the group, and Edouard Louis-Dreyfus would remain president.

The deal would bring in €1bn investment firepower over the next few years, LDA said, adding that it would enable the group to more than double the size of its fleet and speed up its development in technological innovation and energy transition.

The company, which sold out of dry bulk in 2022, has several newbuilding projects on its books, including offshore wind service operation vessels and wind-assisted roros backed by long-term charters with Sweden’s biggest utility, Vattenfall and the world’s biggest planemaker Airbus, respectively.

“We are delighted by InfraVia’s investment in LDA because we share the same vision, the same values and, of course, the same ambitions for our group,” said Edouard Louis-Dreyfus, president of LDA, adding: “In our sectors, we are convinced that great opportunities lie ahead and are within our reach. It is this conviction that drives us to accelerate our ambitions, to propel Louis Dreyfus Armateurs into a new dynamic of growth and innovation.”

The takeover, subject to prior consultation with employee representative bodies, is expected to close in the first half of 2025.