French Shipping Magnate Philippe Louis-Dreyfus Passes at 80

 

Philippe Louis-Dreyfus, a giant name in European shipping, has passed away at the age of 80. He leaves behind a legacy of contributions to France and to the global industry.

Philippe Louis-Dreyfus spent the first decades of his professional career in shipping finance, with executive roles at his family's Banque Louis Dreyfus, then at Banque Pallas France and Credit Naval. In 1996, he took over management of Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, expanding it into the subsea cable-lay market through the acquisition of TravOcean. 11 years later, he and his children bought out the remaining ownership stake of the shipping company, separating it from the rest of the family-held Louis Dreyfus Group. 

Louis-Dreyfus also found time to take on major roles in industry associations. As president of Armateurs de France in 2002-4, Louis-Dreyfus played a role in modernizing the French flag administration and establishing the French International Register, as well as the rollout of France's tonnage tax system. He then took the helm at ECSA in 2006-9, then became president of BIMCO in 2015-17. He continued to represent Armateurs de France on the BIMCO board. 

On the issues, Louis-Dreyfus was an advocate of efficiency and CO2 reduction, and he was an early proponent of slow-steaming. "It is a solution that is immediately effective, at no cost, simple to understand and to apply. I continue to fight on the matter," he told an interviewer with ECSA earlier this year.  

Louis-Dreyfus also held two high national honors rarely seen in combination - the UK's Officer of the British Empire (OBE) and France's Commandeur of the Legion d'Honneur.

"Philippe Louis-Dreyfus had a profound impact on our sector. His commitment, his strategic vision, and his commitment to the common good have significantly contributed to the international influence of the French merchant navy," said Laurent Martens, delegate general of Armateurs de France. 

Top image courtesy Thierry Nectoux / CC BY SA 4.0