European fund Marguerite has agreed to acquire a 65% stake in French marine contractor and vessel operator Jifmar Offshore Services from RAISE Investissement, which has been supporting the company since 2016.
As part of the transaction, the co-founders of the company, Jean-Michel Berud, CEO, and Foad Zahedi, chairman of the supervisory board, will remain in place and reinvest in the company alongside Marguerite. The transaction is expected to be completed in Q2 2022.
Established in 2005, Jifmar is headquartered in Aix-en-Provence and employs around 295 people. The company operates a fleet of 45 vessels and 34 complimentary equipment, including remotely operated underwater vehicles.
Marguerite said it will look to support Jifmar in its transition to next-generation offshore service vessel operations to address the decarbonisation challenges of the sector. Jifmar is involved in the Canopée project, jointly developed with Zéphyr & Borée, which entails the construction and operation of the first modern wind-propelled cargo ship specially designed to transport Ariane 6 launcher components from Europe to French Guyana. Jifmar has also taken steps towards the decarbonisation of its fleet by implementing dual-fuel or hybrid-electric solutions.
