InfraVia agreed to acquire an 80% stake in Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, marking a major step in expanding the French shipping company.

The private equity firm will execute the transaction through its InfraVia European Fund VI, providing €1bn in investments to help LDA double its fleet size.

LDA, based in Paris, operates 23 ships across the offshore, ro-ro cargoship, and cable layer sectors. In recent years, the company has actively sought external investors and enlisted Rothschild & Co to oversee the process. The deal follows its 2022 exit from the dry cargo sector, when it sold its last bulk carriers to a JP Morgan-affiliated shipowner.

LDA is already expanding its fleet. The company has commissioned three high-specification, sail-assisted ro-ro vessels under a long-term contract to transport aircraft parts for Airbus. The partnership with InfraVia will accelerate LDA’s push into technological innovation and energy transition initiatives, supporting sustainability efforts in the maritime sector.

The Louis-Dreyfus family will retain a 20 percent stake in the company, while Edouard Louis-Dreyfus will continue as president. He expressed confidence in the partnership, stating that InfraVia’s investment aligns with LDA’s vision and ambitions for growth and innovation.

The deal is subject to consultation with employee representative bodies and is expected to close in the first half of 2025. The acquisition highlights private equity’s growing interest in infrastructure and maritime investments, especially as demand for sustainable shipping solutions increases.