Louis Dreyfus News

BERG Propulsion is offering the shipping industry its first opportunity to select propeller shafts made using the climate neutral GreenForge® production process.Three Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) ro-ro vessels due in service from 2026 to carry aircraft parts across the Atlantic are already set to take advantage of sustainable wind power, courtesy of their rotor sails, while their hybrid propulsion, power management and control technology is coming from BERG.In addition, BERG will supply propeller shafts made from recycled scrap steel…

A Russian missile attack on Tuesday damaged a grain vessel in the Black Sea port of Odesa, killing four people, Ukrainian authorities said.A ballistic missile struck the MJ Pinar bulk carrier that was loading wheat for Algeria, killing four Syrian nationals and injuring one other Syrian and a Ukrainian, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said on Telegram."Russia is attacking Ukraine's infrastructure, including ports, which are involved in ensuring the world's food security…

bound4blue and Odfjell have partnered to complete the first installation of a wind propulsion system for the chemical tanker specialist, with four of bound4blue’s eSAILs retrofitted on the 49’k dwt Bow OlympusThe 22-meter-tall suction sails will help the advanced vessel achieve significant fuel savings, unlocking commercial, environmental and regulatory advantage. A tailored two-step installation process was deployed to accommodate the vessel’s schedule, with the installation completed in just two days.Firstly…

China suspended on Tuesday the soybean import licenses of three U.S. firms and halted imports of U.S. logs, stepping up its retaliation for additional U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.Earlier in the day, China also imposed import levies covering $21 billion worth of U.S. agricultural and food products including soybeans, wheat, meat and cotton.The three U.S companies affected by the license suspensions are farmer-owned cooperative CHS Inc, global grains exporter Louis Dreyfus Company Grains Merchandising LLC and export grain terminal operator EGT…

Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) and InfraVia, a private equity company in Europe, have entered into exclusive negotiations for InfraVia to acquire a majority stake in LDA, a group specializing in high value-added industrial marine services.LDA currently specializes in three growing segments, transportation and logistics of industrial equipment, mainly through dedicated Ro-Ro vessels, maintenance of offshore wind farms, and installation and maintenance of submarine telecom and power cables.With a worldwide presence…

French ship owner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has selected SALT as the naval architect and Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company (ZPMC) as the shipyard for the construction of three new service operation vessels (SOVs) ordered by Vattenfall.SALT, an offshore vessel designer and long-time partner of LDA, has been entrusted with the development of the new SOVs.ZPMC has been chosen as the shipyard for the construction of the new SOVs.The new SOVs will integrate high-end European components…

LD Tide, a joint venture between Louis Dreyfus Armateurs and Tidal Transit, has been selected to supply a Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) for the operation and maintenance services of the 488 MW offshore wind farm, being developed by Ocean Winds in France.The new vessel is scheduled to start operations mid-2025 at the Eoliennes en Mer des Îles d’Yeu et de Noirmoutier (EMYN) offshore wind farm.Following an international call for tenders, Siemens Gamesa has selected LD Tide to provide…

Transportation of soybeans and corn on barges along the Brazilian Amazon's Tapajos River, which had been suspended in early October due to dry weather, resumed at 50% capacity this week, operators said on Wednesday.Shipping began again on that waterway, which receives grain cargos from Brazil's biggest farm state Mato Grosso and nearby areas, as rain raised river levels, said Amport, an association representing port terminals and cargo transshipment operators of the Amazon basin.Barge shipping on the Madeira River, another Amazon waterway, returned to normal this week, Amport said. Grain transportation on the Madeira had been halted in September…

bound4blue, a leader in maritime’s Wind Assisted Propulsion Systems (WAPS) segment, appointed Daniel Mann as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). He joins the team after four years as VP Business Development at Silverstream Technologies, and more than 25 years supporting and growing various maritime and energy businesses worldwide, which includes a decade at Rolls-Royce Marine, plus five years at Siemens, and more than two years at MAN Energy Solutions.In his new position Mann will…

Amasus has signed a fresh eSAIL (suction sail) contract with Spain’s bound4blue. Under the new agreement, a 22-meter unit will be retrofitted on a 90-meter, 3,000 dwt vessel at Astander Shipyard in Santander, scheduled for mid-2025. The installation will set a new benchmark as the largest suction sail system on a general cargo vessel.Amasus sealed the deal with bound4blue after assessing the impact of its first suction sails on Eems Traveller, which has been sailing with two 17-meter eSAILs since July 2023.

Brazilian port terminal group Amport said on Thursday that grains transport through the Tapajos waterway has come to a halt as a severe drought hit northern Brazil and lowered the river's water levels.Tapajos, which links Brazil's central and north regions, is a key corridor to transport grains from agricultural heartlands in states, including Mato Grosso, Brazil's top soy producer, to ports in the Amazon region.Amport, which represents firms such as Cargill and Louis Dreyfus, told Reuters that navigation of barge convoys carrying grains in the Tapajos has been halted since last Friday, and is

Becker Marine Systems introduced two new products at SMM which are designed to optimise vessel hydrodynamic performance: the Becker Daggerboard and the Becker Steering Gear.The Becker Daggerboard is an anti-leeway fin designed for ships equipped with modern wind- assisted propulsion systems (WAPS). When using WAPS, the desired thrust ahead components drive the ship. Depending on the wind direction, there can also be stronger or weaker lateral force components leading to leeway from the desired course.

Wind-assist company bound4blue’s eSAIL® has received Type Approval from DNV.The suction sail technology is fully autonomous and works by dragging air across an aerodynamic surface, generating propulsive efficiency. The simple, low weight and easy to install units significantly cut main engine loads, fuel use and emissions, says bound4blue.The technology is suitable for almost all shipping types and can be fitted as retrofits on a broad range of vessels, as well as newbuilds.It has already won contracts with shipowners and operators including Odfjell…

Singaporean shipbuilder Strategic Marine has secured an order from Louis Dreyfus Amateurs for an additional pair of crew transfer vessels (CTVs) to expand its fleet from five to seven high-specification vessels.The 27-meter CTVs represent sister ships to Acti’Vent and Esti’Vent, and will be able to transport 24 passengers each.The two new CTVs, of StratCat 27 design, are expected to be delivered early in 2025. “These new orders are part of our strategy to expand our Offshore Renewables business in France and in Europe.

Berg Propulsion has won a contract to deliver the hybrid propulsion solution for three wind-assisted Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) Ro-Ro vessels.Following delivery by China’s Wuchang Shipbuilding from 2026 onwards, the innovative vessels will carry Airbus A320 Family jetliner subassemblies from France to the final assembly line in the United States.The ships have been designed by Deltamarin with the aim of halving fuel burn and CO2 emissions in transatlantic operations by 2030…

Spain-based Marflet Marine has signed a contract with bound4blue for the installation of four 22m eSAILs® on the 49,999dwt oil and chemical tanker Santiago I.The contract, with installation in mid-2025, makes Marflet the first Spanish merchant fleet owner to adopt a wind auxiliary power system. It marks a further landmark development for bound4blue’s fully autonomous suction sail eSAIL® technology, which has recently been selected by other companies including Eastern Pacific Shipping…

When Bertrand Charrier worked with Jacques Cousteau four decades ago on the development of a revolutionary sail for the maritime industry, the time for widescale adoption of wind power wasn’t right. Now, he argues, there’s simply no time to waste.“Sometimes the best discoveries are rediscoveries.”Bertrand Charrier is a champion of simplicity. Sitting in a comfortable chair overlooking the rolling fields of rural France, he delivers frank observations backed by a blend of common sense and scientific expertise.The maritime industry…

An accident with a shiploader at the sugar terminal in the Recife port in Northeastern Brazil suspended loading operations at the site, according to a note from shipping company Williams Brazil late on Thursday.The company said the shiploader collapsed and a part of the machine fell inside the cargo hold of a vessel that was docked at the port to load raw sugar.The press service at the Recife port confirmed the accident, adding that nobody was hurt.The port said experts are evaluating the situation and there is still no time frame for the repair.

Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has unveiled a concept for a first-of-its kind service operations vessel (SOV) that runs on liquid hydrogen.The French-headquartered company said it has been working alongside Norwegian naval architecture firm Salt Ship Design as well as main equipment suppliers, fuel providers, class and flag authorities, and others to produce the concept—with support from the European Commission.The groundbreaking SOV, currently in the concept design phase, would be able to operate 95% of the time with zero carbon emissions, only releasing water during standard operations.

Russia's lack of ships and Western grain traders' shrinking appetite for business with Moscow are adding to rising costs of moving Russian wheat, at a time when the war in Ukraine has spilled perilously close to vital Black Sea supply routes.President Vladimir Putin promised to replace Ukrainian grain with Russian shipments to Africa after Moscow in July ended an arrangement that gave Ukraine's food cargo safe passage in the Black Sea, imposing a de-facto blockade on its neighbour and attacking storage facilities…

Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) said it has been tapped by Airbus to renew its entire fleet of chartered vessels for aircraft subassembly transport with three modern, low-emission roll-on / roll-off vessels, supported by wind-assisted propulsion.LDA announced Wednesday it has been commissioned to build, own and operate these new highly efficient vessels, slated for entry into service from 2026.Powered by a combination of six Flettner rotors—large, rotating cylinders that generate lift thanks to the wind…

Cargill has signed a three-year contract that will see ZeroNorth become Cargill’s primary software provider for optimisation of over 600 vessels. Cargill commenced its strategic partnership with ZeroNorth in 2020. The partnership has expanded over time, with Cargill and ZeroNorth working together to develop ZeroNorth’s fuel model and dry bulk solutions.Eman Abdalla, Global Operations Director for Cargill Ocean Transportation, added: “We are delighted to announce that we’ve chosen ZeroNorth as our vessel and voyage optimisation digital platform.

bound4blue and Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) announced today a commercial agreement for the manufacture and installation of four eSAILs on LDC’s chartered juice vessel, MV Atlantic Orchard, in collaboration with Wisby Tankers AB, Sweden (Wisby Tankers).Chartered by LDC and owned by Wisby Tankers, MV Atlantic Orchard will be retrofitted with four 26-meter-high eSAILs. The installation of the eSAILs is planned for 2024 and, depending on vessel routing, is expected to reduce annual…