Wilson Sons invests on super communication platform to expand to the Asian market

Multifunctional tool will be used for commercial support and attracting
new customers

Wilson Sons, through the Towage business unit, has just created a profile on WeChat, a
Chinese digital communication platform. The company’s strategy is to invest in local
communication to support commercial actions and attract new customers. In the
content of the profile, 100% in Mandarin, Wilson Sons discloses relevant initiatives of
the company and information about the Brazilian maritime and port markets.

“We understand the need to create this communication channel with our customers.
We want to get closer to this audience, understanding, in a deeper way, their culture
and using the same tools and language. The UNCTAD 2020 report showed that more
than half of the vessels in the world fleet are operated by Asian companies, reinforcing
this as a strategic market for us”, explains Elísio Dourado, Towage commercial director.

More than 20% of the clients and partners of the company’s Towage unit are related to
China and more than 25% of the vessels served by the business have the country as
origin or destination. The Asian market is part of Wilson Sons’ port logistics chain from
the purchase of ore and grain, transport by ship, to the export of finished products or
fertilisers to Brazil.

“Wilson Sons, as a leader in the port support industry, is growing along with the foreign
trade partnership between Brazil and China. In 2021, we increased our participation in
this flow, mainly with the export of iron ore and soybeans, and even with the import of
steel products,” Elísio points out.

The Towage division, which already has two representatives in its commercial team in
China, believes in the importance of strengthening the relationship with these
customers. “We launched the official WeChat account in order to further improve
customer service and communication with this audience, for our goal is to ensure the
best experience for our customers,” says Lynn Xiong, Towage marketing specialist, one
the company’s representatives in China.

In 2018, WeChat became the largest mobile app in the world with more than 1 billion
monthly active users and is the main application used in China, since it is a
multifunctional tool. The super app enables, besides text, voice and video messages,
data and payment sharing, corporate use through a business profile, among other
functions.

With a fleet of 80 tugboats, the largest in Brazil, Wilson Sons is present in 25 locations,
covering almost all the Brazilian coast. The company has the Tugboat Operations Centre
(COR), which monitors the vessels 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Moreover, it has the
Maritime Training Centre (CAMWS), where periodic training of crew as well as specific
projects for customers and other stakeholders are carried out, with specialised technical
staff recognized by the entire market, through the Wilson Sons’ own manoeuvre
simulator, which is able to offer different operational scenarios.

The company, through the Towage business unit, has the world class status in safety, a
standard of excellence defined by Du Pont, a world-renowned consultancy in the sector,
accounting for yet another achievement in HSE management (Health, Safety and
Environment).

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.