InfraVia becomes majority shareholder in Louis Dreyfus Armateurs

The private equity company has completed a transaction in which, through its InfraVia European Fund VI, it has acquired an 80% majority stake in LDA.

The Louis-Dreyfus family retains a 20% share, with Edouard Louis-Dreyfus remaining president of the group. The Louis-Dreyfus family and InfraVia confirmed it had entered into exclusive negotiations for the acquisition of a majority stake in LDA in February 2025.

After the transaction completes, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs will be renamed LD Armateurs (LDA).

InfraVia said it plans to invest €1.0Bn (US$1.2Bn) in the company, a leading owner of vessels supporting the offshore wind industry, in the coming years. This investment will enable the group to more than double its fleet and accelerate its growth in technological innovation, the energy transition and the development of next-generation maritime services and navigation.

Samira Draoua has been appointed chief executive of LDA. With a career spanning finance, digital transformation and maritime operations in France and abroad, she previously served as chief executive of Econocom France and president of Les Abeilles International. 

LDA specialises in three growing segments: transport and logistics for industrial equipment, mainly through dedicated roro vessels; maintenance of offshore windfarms; and installation and maintenance of submarine telecom and power cables. The company currently manages a fleet of 23 vessels and generates most of its revenue through long-term contracts.