Environmental Policy

Environmental Management System

We are committed to continually improvie our Environmental Management System and to:

• Be compliant with current environmental conventions, customer requirements and other applicable requirements. International regulations are strictly respected in all activities and each vessel has dedicated management plans. Our Environmental Management System meets the ISO 14001 requirements;

• Identify and analyze environmental aspects and impacts and implementing the necessary preventive and corrective actions to control the most significant risks;

• Sensitize all employees to respect the environment;

• Involve everyone The contribution of every employee, both onshore personnel and seafarers to QHSE management system is crucial to minimize our environmental impact.

A sustainable management of the fleet

The Group is committed to identifying and analyzing the environmental aspects and impacts and to put in place the necessary preventive and corrective actions. Thanks to careful and responsible operation of its fleet, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs contributes to the pursuit of sustainable development objectives.

To do this, for more than 5 years, the technical teams have been working with the company ‘Optemar’ to train and teach our mechanical officers the fundamentals of diesel combustion. It has lead to :

– the development and deployment of two software programs, ‘MyOpteLog’ and ‘MyOpteMar’ thanks to which we monitor machine and engine parameters. One of the functions is also to alert the command post in the event of abnormal deviations according to predefined parameters.

– The implementation of the ‘My OPTE Board’ digital platform, which aims at improving the use of engine performance. This constantly improved platform makes it possible to monitor the indicators and also to advise and help remote engineer officers in the conduct of their engine performance at sea.

This cooperation has resulted in reduced fuel consumption and emissions. In one year, our ships have saved nearly 4,300 tons of CO2.

The Blue Charter

Louis Dreyfus Armateurs signed the Blue Charter, created in 2003 and driven by Philippe Louis-Dreyfus under his mandate. The Charter affirms French Shipowners’ commitment to conduct their business in a way that is sustainable and environmentally-friendly.

Read more about the Blue Charter: click here

• 2020 edition of the Blue Charter of French Shipowners

Louis Dreyfus Armateurs was awarded this year the Special Jury Prize for “its commitment to the global energy transition of the maritime sector, through the speed limit fight carried out by Philippe Louis-Dreyfus for many years…“

Read full press release on Armateurs de France’s website: click here.

2022 World Ocean and Environnement Days

From June 7-10, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs observed both the World Environment and World Ocean Days with special focus being paid to the oceans and individual actions of our personnel. LDA organised multiple events over the course of the week to sensitise our personnel at the Head Office about climate change, reducing our carbon footprint and protecting the seas to leave behind a sustainable and liveable planet for the generations to come. The Environment Week was organised by both the QHSE Department and the Communications Team.

The week began with a program only for managers and the leadership team of the company, reaffirming the seriousness with which senior level personnel are expected to take the environment with. Our event on day 1 was conducted by by ‘Fondation Good Planet’, a Paris based non-governmental organisation that focuses on supporting ecology and sustainable development. The attendees took part in an interactive workshop in which they were challenged to identify the causes and consequences of climate change and work on solutions to combat the same, at a corporate and individual level.

On day 2, the event was thrown open to all personnel. Fondation Good Planet sensitised the audience about current state of the seas and measures being taken to protect the oceans of the world, besides laying emphasis on the increase in pace with which environmental problems have to be addressed.
The following day, Surfrider Fondation Europe – a non-profit organisation based in Biarritz, whose mission is to protect oceans, joined us via videoconference for a fun and participative seminar on plastic pollution in the sea. Surfrider Fondation Europe also made a brief presentation on Green Marine Europe – a voluntary environmental certification for Europe’s maritime industry to which the Group is currently applying for certification in 2023.

The grand finale was held on day 4 hosted by the President of the Supervisory board, Philippe Louis-Dreyfus and our Deputy CEO, Antoine Person. Philippe Louis-Dreyfus shared his experience of the slow process amongst the shipping industry in becoming aware of environmental issues. He was able to witness it as he was the President of the French shipping association, of the European association and at an international scale (Bimco). He spoke about the great difficulties encountered at trying to develop a necessary environmental awareness. For instance the reluctancy to reduce the speed of navigation of vessels to cut down on carbon emissions generated by the shipping industry. Antoine Person spoke about the sustainable development goals and ambitions of the Group and stressed on prioritising the environment and the preservation of maritime ecosystems while conducting our business activities. He also stressed what is implemented and tested by the Group for several years in terms of double hull, hybridation, wind propulsion.

The speeches were followed by a question-and-answer session, and a buffet that was curated by Baobab Lab, an environmentally responsible caterer. Keeping in mind our policy of change beginning at an individual level, mugs with LDA’s logo were distributed to all, with the goal of reducing our plastic and paper waste generated in the Head Office.