Wilson Sons bets on North Arch for growth of the port support sector
- 06/04/2022
- 5 minutes
Investments planned for the region can boost port movement in the region
Wilson Sons has been increasingly consolidating its leadership in the harbour towage
sector in the North Arch. In 2021, the company had a significant growth in volume of
manoeuvers in the ports in the region and has positive expectations for the coming
years, mainly due to the various investments planned for the port sector, in addition to
the optimization of the logistics of cargo flow. According to ANTAQ data, the ports of
the North Arch, together, grew by more than 25% from 2016 to 2021.
“Investment in infrastructure such as railways, for example, will be fundamental to
support the projects of the major players in the market. The railway modal is important
for the development of the North Arch, in addition to being an excellent way to connect
its ports to other regions of the country”, highlights Mateus Melo, regional manager of
the Towage division.
The year 2021 was also marked by representing the first full 12 months of the company’s
operations in Santarém, the port where the Towage unit started operating in November 2020.
Knowing the importance of the terminal for the region, Wilson Sons was the first
towage provider with an azimuth tug with a bollard pull (BP) of more than 45 tons in
Santarém and, to make this possible, the company studied the local operation, trained
its crew and implemented all the necessary controls so that its performance was safe
and efficient.
Among the main cargoes handled by the ports of the North Arch are iron ore, oil and
derivatives, grains and fertilizers. The Towage division also has a strong presence in the
Ponta da Madeira terminal, contributing to iron ore being the most representative cargo
for the company in the North Arch. Another important sector for the Wilson Sons
business unit is oil and its derivatives, mainly in the Port of Itaqui. In agribusiness, which
includes cargo such as soybeans, corn and fertilizers, Wilson Sons grew by almost 20%
in the volume of ship manoeuvers in the last year, with emphasis on Itaqui, a terminal
that has become increasingly important for the region.
The strategic positioning and long-term vision made it possible for Wilson Sons to
operate with a fleet of tugboats sized to accompany the development of the ports of the
North Arch. “We are the company with the largest availability of tugboats in the region
and with the best service coverage in the ports of the North Arch. In addition, we are a
reference in providing towage services to various cargoes relevant to the region, such
as agribusiness”, explains Mateus.
There are almost 20 tugboats allocated to serve the North Arch. With the introduction
of the new tugboats scheduled for the coming years, in compliance with the IMO TIER
III standard, which reduces the emission levels of nitrogen oxides by more than 75%, the
region is part of the priority list of the company. A reference in safety, the Wilson Sons
business unit has had no lost time accidents in the ports of the North Arch for more than
six years.
With a fleet of 80 tugboats, the largest in Brazil, Wilson Sons is present in 25 locations,
covering almost the entire Brazilian coast. The company has a Tugboat Operations
Center (COR), which monitors vessels 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In addition, it has
the Maritime Training Centre (CAMWS), where periodic training is carried out for crews
and specific projects for customers and other interested parties, with a specialized
technical team recognized throughout the market, through Wilson Sons’ own
manoeuvre simulator, which can offer different operational scenarios.
About Wilson Sons
Wilson Sons is the largest integrated operator of port and maritime logistics in the
Brazilian market, with over 180 years of experience. The company has national coverage
and offers complete solutions for more than 2,000 customers, including shipowners,
importers and exporters, oil and gas industry, renewable energy projects, agribusiness
sector, and other participants in various segments of the economy.