Testimonials

Interview

1. Could you briefly summarize your background and present your current role?

My name is Joséphine de Vaux, and I joined LD Armateurs in January 2025. After high school, I chose to pursue a scientific preparatory program with the goal of entering an engineering school.

After two years of preparatory classes, I was admitted to École Centrale Marseille, now known as Centrale Méditerranée, where I followed a general engineering curriculum during my first two years. In my final year, I specialized in maritime engineering and completed a work-study placement with a major shipping company based in Marseille.

I graduated with my engineering degree last year and currently hold the position of Innovation Coordinator within the EPI (Engineering, Project, Innovation) department.

2. What does your role involve? What are your main missions?

As my title suggests, my role is to coordinate LDA’s various innovation initiatives (studies, pilots, projects, etc.) across different departments, particularly the Business Units, the Technical Department, and EPI. I ensure alignment between all stakeholders, whether internal teams or innovative suppliers we collaborate with.

I am also responsible for structuring and formalizing the technical monitoring carried out within EPI on innovation-related topics aimed at reducing emissions and improving operational performance. These include alternative fuels, positioning and environmental measurement systems, electrification, digitalization, wind-assisted propulsion, energy recovery, and more.

Finally, I monitor emerging funding opportunities and identify those that may align with our ongoing or future projects.

3. What do you particularly enjoy about your job?

There is an incredible amount to learn. Because my role is highly transversal, I have the opportunity to meet and exchange with experts from many different fields within the maritime industry — whether within my department, more broadly at LDA, or in other companies, both in France and internationally.

It is extremely enriching, especially as a young professional just out of engineering school.

4. Three qualities necessary to perform this role well?

Curiosity is absolutely essential. I would also highlight adaptability and perseverance.

5. What does “We sail for the next generation,” LDA Group’s tagline, inspire in you?

To me, it reflects the Group’s commitment to innovation and its willingness to highlight forward-looking initiatives. It also expresses the trust placed in younger generations — both shore-based staff and seafarers — to address the challenges facing the maritime industry.

6. Which Group value resonates with you the most and why?

In my case, I would say the value that resonates most is “pioneering spirit.” In innovation, it is not only about testing ideas; it also involves risk-taking and exploration — dimensions that are inherent to novelty and perfectly captured by the notion of a pioneering mindset.

I also appreciate the idea that some of the solutions we are experimenting with today may become industry standards tomorrow. In that sense, we are contributing, at our level, to shaping the future of maritime.

7. What advice would you give to those — especially women — who would like to pursue a career in the maritime sector?

The maritime industry is a fascinating field that remains relatively unknown and niche, which is also what makes it so rich. Its diversity of professions, expertise, and operations creates an environment where you are constantly learning and never bored. For anyone wishing to enter this sector, staying curious, open-minded, and willing to learn from the people you meet along the way — whether colleagues with diverse backgrounds or experienced seafarers — is essential.

This advice applies to everyone, and especially to women, who are still underrepresented in the maritime industry. They absolutely belong in this field and have a great deal to contribute. Despite possible doubts or moments of discouragement, it is important to persevere, believe in your legitimacy, and help shift perceptions — until seeing women at every level of leadership in this industry becomes completely natural.

8. What is your motto?

I’m not sure I have a motto in the strict sense, but there is one that I really like because it’s slightly unexpected, yet very true. It’s a good one to keep in mind when you feel stuck or hesitant to take the leap, and it feels even more relevant in the field of innovation: 100% of winners took their chance.

“The sea is a natural choice — and so is innovation.”

Anaïs Ménard, Project Engineer at LD Armateurs, shares her career path and her commitment to decarbonizing and modernizing vessels. She talks about her passion for the maritime sector and encourages young women to take the bold step of joining an industry full of opportunities.

Watch her video testimonial:

Interview

1) What has been your career path so far?  

Summing up a 20-year career in the same company is almost like summing up a lifetime! All things considered, I would mention 3 milestones in my career at LDA, starting with my early days as a trainee and cadet in the merchant marine. This period of training gave me a taste for the diversity of missions: bulk carriers, cable-laying vessels, ro-ro ships, seismic prospecting… so many ships where I had the opportunity to work as a lieutenant, mechanical officer, and then cable officer. I was called back to shore in 2011, when I was offered a position as Deputy Head of the QHSE department. Few years later, in 2017, I was appointed to what would later become the Renewable Business Unit. In charge of developing the SOV market, I took part in the Orsted call for tenders, closely followed by another one dedicated to CTVs to be operated for French customers EDF and GE. This turning point, far from being purely personal, laid the foundations for the renewable activities that are now at the heart of the Group’s development strategy.  

2) Could you tell us more about your current role and missions?  

The Group’s CTV activity, based in La Turballe under the name LD Tide, now has a fleet of 5 vessels – the INNO’VENT, the MOTI’VENT, the CAPTI’VENT, the ACTI’VENT and the ESTIVENT – which I supervise as General Manager. In fact, my job involves organizational engineering between offshore and onshore operations, to meet the maintenance needs of offshore wind farms. This combines technical, logistical, managerial and recruitment expertise. It’s more rewarding because some of the members of LD TIDE have already been working together on board. 

4) What do you like the most in your job?  

The diversity of subjects, in terms of both content and form, whether commercial, contractual, technical, or human challenges. The fact that we must think about the future, too. Having to anticipate the solutions we can offer our customers in the inevitable context of the energy transition. The challenges are numerous and constantly renewed, and I’m trusted every time to solve them. In fact, it’s this climate of trust and the accessibility of the teams, boosted by the human scale of the Group, that is highly valuable at LDA.   

5) Could you list 3 must-have qualities for this job?  

At the risk of repeating myself I would say trust, kindness, and team spirit. I’m convinced that, more than achieving performance, it’s above all managing to make sure every member of the same crew  are working together. 

6) What does the new LDA tagline, “We sail for the next generation”, inspire you? 

Our work today is already having a major impact on future generations – sailors, the environment and society. While it supports the energy transition, our mission also defends the idea of transmission: that of history, know-how and truly professional expertise. 

7) Family, Driving, Pioneering or Teams Spirit: which one of LDA values seems to be yours? Why? 

Team Spirit. In the maritime industry, it’s hard to make progress if you don’t have team spirit. In fact, it’s impossible! 

8) If you could give some advice to someone who is wishing to pursue a career in the maritime industry, what would it be? 

A career in the maritime industry gives you the opportunity to take on responsibilities quickly. You can work in lots of different departments because the range of jobs is so broad. As you’ll have realized, by staying with the same company, I’ve personally been able to carry out different functions – and I’m not the only example of this. As someone who loves to create, I hope that everyone will be able to grow and develop as much as I was (and still am!) able to do at LD Armateurs. 

9) What is your motto?  

In the adrenalin of the tendering process, I used to like saying, “Be careful, there’s always a chance of success”. In the end – and several times over – this proved to be true! More seriously, “Team spirit, anywhere and anytime”. 

Interview

1) What has been your career path so far?   

My name is Pedro Lima and I am currently Superintendent Projects in the Technical Department of LD Armateurs. I’ve already had the opportunity to talk about my experience at my beginnings in LDA, and I’m delighted to be doing so again – actually I’ve come a long way since then!     

As a reminder, I joined the Group in January 2019, as an intern in the MID “Marine Industrial Division” as part of my Masters specialising in Renewable Marine Energies. Next to my internship, I joined the EPI department as a Project Engineer, dealing with preliminary engineering projects for the fleet.   

In April 2021, I started working on cable vessels conversion projects. The same year, in November I left for Poland (Gdansk) to follow the conversion of the Île d’Yeu from the field, until the end of the project in February 2023. Even in my professional dreams, I never imagined that I would learn so much from the teams. They have been extremely supportive during this project which dealt with huge technical challenges.    

At the end of the project, I went aboard the Île d’Yeu to follow up its transit from Gdansk to Dunkerk. At my back to the office, after a well-deserved holiday, I joined the technical department as Superintendent Projects. Recently I had the honour of taking on the superintendence of a ship in addition to my activities.  

2) Could you tell us more about your current role and missions?   

My current role is to monitor specific projects involving the mobilisation of equipment, technical shutdowns or the monitoring of technical developments. To make sure that everything goes smoothly, we have to ensure the safety of our activities, manage the interfaces between on-board, suppliers and customers, and anticipate all the constraints and surprises that lie ahead. 

3) What do you like the most in your job?  

On land, as a ‘beginner’ in my current position, I’m lucky enough to be part of an extremely competent team, which brings me new concepts, new problems and new solutions every day. And some great stories also!   

From the sea side, I was able to be in contact with the crew during the IYU conversion project. This hands-on experience enabled me to learn a lot about the technical side of things, and to witness the tenacity of the sailing teams when they come up against a problem (and there is a lot!). I’m always delighted to see members of the crew at head office or on board again, to discuss our challenges and remind the good memories we have in common, which I’ll never forget.    

Recently, we’ve had the opportunity to receive people seconded ashore from the technical department to help us with plough mobilisation projects. This undeniably smoothes the interface and collaboration between ship and shore. 

4) Could you list 3 must-have qualities for this job?  

Be resilient, capable to listen to colleagues and be curious.  

5) What does the new LDA tagline, “We sail for the next generation”, inspire you?  

To me, this tagline means that LDA is committed to innovative approaches, especially thanks to the diversity and ambition of its Business Units. LDA takes into account the safety of our teams, the challenges of the maritime industry and the environmental challenges involved in our present and future generations. 

6) Family, Driving, Pioneering or Teams Spirit: which one of LDA values seems to be yours? Why? 

All of them are important, but I would choose ‘Team Spirit’. I could give the IYU Conversion as an example: the ship was supposed to be scrapped by its previous owner, but thanks to our team, it was able to set sail again after a year and a half of work. And it will be sailing soon around the world! As we hear in the corridors, ‘everything is possible’ with the teams we have. 

7) If you could give some advice to who is wishing to pursue its career in the maritime industry, what would it be? 

Personally, I joined the maritime industry after my first work placement in 2014, and I’ve never left. It’s a world I’m passionate about, where there’s a lot of collaboration, challenges and exceptional people, rich in experience and always ready to listen. Needless to say, I want to continue my career here!  

A word of advice: stay tuned to innovations in this learning and innovative environment. And if you choose to take part in the maritime world, it should be from LDA! 

8) What is your motto?  

Greetings and smiles are free: share them!  

Interview

1. Could you briefly summarize your background and present your current role?

My name is Joséphine de Vaux, and I joined LD Armateurs in January 2025. After high school, I chose to pursue a scientific preparatory program with the goal of entering an engineering school.

After two years of preparatory classes, I was admitted to École Centrale Marseille, now known as Centrale Méditerranée, where I followed a general engineering curriculum during my first two years. In my final year, I specialized in maritime engineering and completed a work-study placement with a major shipping company based in Marseille.

I graduated with my engineering degree last year and currently hold the position of Innovation Coordinator within the EPI (Engineering, Project, Innovation) department.

2. What does your role involve? What are your main missions?

As my title suggests, my role is to coordinate LDA’s various innovation initiatives (studies, pilots, projects, etc.) across different departments, particularly the Business Units, the Technical Department, and EPI. I ensure alignment between all stakeholders, whether internal teams or innovative suppliers we collaborate with.

I am also responsible for structuring and formalizing the technical monitoring carried out within EPI on innovation-related topics aimed at reducing emissions and improving operational performance. These include alternative fuels, positioning and environmental measurement systems, electrification, digitalization, wind-assisted propulsion, energy recovery, and more.

Finally, I monitor emerging funding opportunities and identify those that may align with our ongoing or future projects.

3. What do you particularly enjoy about your job?

There is an incredible amount to learn. Because my role is highly transversal, I have the opportunity to meet and exchange with experts from many different fields within the maritime industry — whether within my department, more broadly at LDA, or in other companies, both in France and internationally.

It is extremely enriching, especially as a young professional just out of engineering school.

4. Three qualities necessary to perform this role well?

Curiosity is absolutely essential. I would also highlight adaptability and perseverance.

5. What does “We sail for the next generation,” LDA Group’s tagline, inspire in you?

To me, it reflects the Group’s commitment to innovation and its willingness to highlight forward-looking initiatives. It also expresses the trust placed in younger generations — both shore-based staff and seafarers — to address the challenges facing the maritime industry.

6. Which Group value resonates with you the most and why?

In my case, I would say the value that resonates most is “pioneering spirit.” In innovation, it is not only about testing ideas; it also involves risk-taking and exploration — dimensions that are inherent to novelty and perfectly captured by the notion of a pioneering mindset.

I also appreciate the idea that some of the solutions we are experimenting with today may become industry standards tomorrow. In that sense, we are contributing, at our level, to shaping the future of maritime.

7. What advice would you give to those — especially women — who would like to pursue a career in the maritime sector?

The maritime industry is a fascinating field that remains relatively unknown and niche, which is also what makes it so rich. Its diversity of professions, expertise, and operations creates an environment where you are constantly learning and never bored. For anyone wishing to enter this sector, staying curious, open-minded, and willing to learn from the people you meet along the way — whether colleagues with diverse backgrounds or experienced seafarers — is essential.

This advice applies to everyone, and especially to women, who are still underrepresented in the maritime industry. They absolutely belong in this field and have a great deal to contribute. Despite possible doubts or moments of discouragement, it is important to persevere, believe in your legitimacy, and help shift perceptions — until seeing women at every level of leadership in this industry becomes completely natural.

8. What is your motto?

I’m not sure I have a motto in the strict sense, but there is one that I really like because it’s slightly unexpected, yet very true. It’s a good one to keep in mind when you feel stuck or hesitant to take the leap, and it feels even more relevant in the field of innovation: 100% of winners took their chance.

“The sea is a natural choice — and so is innovation.”

Anaïs Ménard, Project Engineer at LD Armateurs, shares her career path and her commitment to decarbonizing and modernizing vessels. She talks about her passion for the maritime sector and encourages young women to take the bold step of joining an industry full of opportunities.

Watch her video testimonial:

Interview

1) What has been your career path so far?  

Summing up a 20-year career in the same company is almost like summing up a lifetime! All things considered, I would mention 3 milestones in my career at LDA, starting with my early days as a trainee and cadet in the merchant marine. This period of training gave me a taste for the diversity of missions: bulk carriers, cable-laying vessels, ro-ro ships, seismic prospecting… so many ships where I had the opportunity to work as a lieutenant, mechanical officer, and then cable officer. I was called back to shore in 2011, when I was offered a position as Deputy Head of the QHSE department. Few years later, in 2017, I was appointed to what would later become the Renewable Business Unit. In charge of developing the SOV market, I took part in the Orsted call for tenders, closely followed by another one dedicated to CTVs to be operated for French customers EDF and GE. This turning point, far from being purely personal, laid the foundations for the renewable activities that are now at the heart of the Group’s development strategy.  

2) Could you tell us more about your current role and missions?  

The Group’s CTV activity, based in La Turballe under the name LD Tide, now has a fleet of 5 vessels – the INNO’VENT, the MOTI’VENT, the CAPTI’VENT, the ACTI’VENT and the ESTIVENT – which I supervise as General Manager. In fact, my job involves organizational engineering between offshore and onshore operations, to meet the maintenance needs of offshore wind farms. This combines technical, logistical, managerial and recruitment expertise. It’s more rewarding because some of the members of LD TIDE have already been working together on board. 

4) What do you like the most in your job?  

The diversity of subjects, in terms of both content and form, whether commercial, contractual, technical, or human challenges. The fact that we must think about the future, too. Having to anticipate the solutions we can offer our customers in the inevitable context of the energy transition. The challenges are numerous and constantly renewed, and I’m trusted every time to solve them. In fact, it’s this climate of trust and the accessibility of the teams, boosted by the human scale of the Group, that is highly valuable at LDA.   

5) Could you list 3 must-have qualities for this job?  

At the risk of repeating myself I would say trust, kindness, and team spirit. I’m convinced that, more than achieving performance, it’s above all managing to make sure every member of the same crew  are working together. 

6) What does the new LDA tagline, “We sail for the next generation”, inspire you? 

Our work today is already having a major impact on future generations – sailors, the environment and society. While it supports the energy transition, our mission also defends the idea of transmission: that of history, know-how and truly professional expertise. 

7) Family, Driving, Pioneering or Teams Spirit: which one of LDA values seems to be yours? Why? 

Team Spirit. In the maritime industry, it’s hard to make progress if you don’t have team spirit. In fact, it’s impossible! 

8) If you could give some advice to someone who is wishing to pursue a career in the maritime industry, what would it be? 

A career in the maritime industry gives you the opportunity to take on responsibilities quickly. You can work in lots of different departments because the range of jobs is so broad. As you’ll have realized, by staying with the same company, I’ve personally been able to carry out different functions – and I’m not the only example of this. As someone who loves to create, I hope that everyone will be able to grow and develop as much as I was (and still am!) able to do at LD Armateurs. 

9) What is your motto?  

In the adrenalin of the tendering process, I used to like saying, “Be careful, there’s always a chance of success”. In the end – and several times over – this proved to be true! More seriously, “Team spirit, anywhere and anytime”. 

Interview

1) What has been your career path so far?   

My name is Pedro Lima and I am currently Superintendent Projects in the Technical Department of LD Armateurs. I’ve already had the opportunity to talk about my experience at my beginnings in LDA, and I’m delighted to be doing so again – actually I’ve come a long way since then!     

As a reminder, I joined the Group in January 2019, as an intern in the MID “Marine Industrial Division” as part of my Masters specialising in Renewable Marine Energies. Next to my internship, I joined the EPI department as a Project Engineer, dealing with preliminary engineering projects for the fleet.   

In April 2021, I started working on cable vessels conversion projects. The same year, in November I left for Poland (Gdansk) to follow the conversion of the Île d’Yeu from the field, until the end of the project in February 2023. Even in my professional dreams, I never imagined that I would learn so much from the teams. They have been extremely supportive during this project which dealt with huge technical challenges.    

At the end of the project, I went aboard the Île d’Yeu to follow up its transit from Gdansk to Dunkerk. At my back to the office, after a well-deserved holiday, I joined the technical department as Superintendent Projects. Recently I had the honour of taking on the superintendence of a ship in addition to my activities.  

2) Could you tell us more about your current role and missions?   

My current role is to monitor specific projects involving the mobilisation of equipment, technical shutdowns or the monitoring of technical developments. To make sure that everything goes smoothly, we have to ensure the safety of our activities, manage the interfaces between on-board, suppliers and customers, and anticipate all the constraints and surprises that lie ahead. 

3) What do you like the most in your job?  

On land, as a ‘beginner’ in my current position, I’m lucky enough to be part of an extremely competent team, which brings me new concepts, new problems and new solutions every day. And some great stories also!   

From the sea side, I was able to be in contact with the crew during the IYU conversion project. This hands-on experience enabled me to learn a lot about the technical side of things, and to witness the tenacity of the sailing teams when they come up against a problem (and there is a lot!). I’m always delighted to see members of the crew at head office or on board again, to discuss our challenges and remind the good memories we have in common, which I’ll never forget.    

Recently, we’ve had the opportunity to receive people seconded ashore from the technical department to help us with plough mobilisation projects. This undeniably smoothes the interface and collaboration between ship and shore. 

4) Could you list 3 must-have qualities for this job?  

Be resilient, capable to listen to colleagues and be curious.  

5) What does the new LDA tagline, “We sail for the next generation”, inspire you?  

To me, this tagline means that LDA is committed to innovative approaches, especially thanks to the diversity and ambition of its Business Units. LDA takes into account the safety of our teams, the challenges of the maritime industry and the environmental challenges involved in our present and future generations. 

6) Family, Driving, Pioneering or Teams Spirit: which one of LDA values seems to be yours? Why? 

All of them are important, but I would choose ‘Team Spirit’. I could give the IYU Conversion as an example: the ship was supposed to be scrapped by its previous owner, but thanks to our team, it was able to set sail again after a year and a half of work. And it will be sailing soon around the world! As we hear in the corridors, ‘everything is possible’ with the teams we have. 

7) If you could give some advice to who is wishing to pursue its career in the maritime industry, what would it be? 

Personally, I joined the maritime industry after my first work placement in 2014, and I’ve never left. It’s a world I’m passionate about, where there’s a lot of collaboration, challenges and exceptional people, rich in experience and always ready to listen. Needless to say, I want to continue my career here!  

A word of advice: stay tuned to innovations in this learning and innovative environment. And if you choose to take part in the maritime world, it should be from LDA! 

8) What is your motto?  

Greetings and smiles are free: share them!