The Louis-Dreyfus family, owner of the shipping group and Louis-Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA), has started negotiations in exclusive right to sell 80% of the company's share capital to private equity firm InfraVia. The transaction - they have announced today by the two parties - provides that InfraVia will acquire the through the InfraVia European Fund VI, while the The Louis-Dreyfus family will remain the owner of 20% of the capital of LDA, with Edouard Louis-Dreyfus maintaining the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

It was also specified that the transaction will allow LDA, which was founded in 1893, to invest one billion over the next few years, allowing the Group to doubling its fleet, currently consisting of 23 vessels, and to accelerate developments in the field of technological innovation, energy transition and the definition of future models maritime services.

The transaction is expected to be completed by the first half of this year.