Brazil’s Wilson Sons starts operating sustainable tugboat in the Port of Açu

Wilson Sons, a leader in port and maritime logistics in Brazil, started operating its new tugboat “WS Rosalvo” — equipped with more sustainable technologies — in the Port of Açu, in São João da Barra (Rio de Janeiro). An event held on Thursday, April 27^th, at the port marked the start of the operation of the third of six new, more sustainable tugs built at the company’s shipyards in Guarujá (São Paulo), in the Port of Santos, Latin America’s leading port facility.

The new hydrodynamic design improves hull efficiency and consumes up to 14% less fuel, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The tugboats are the first in Brazil to meet Tier III of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which attests to the reduction of at least 70% of nitrogen oxide, helping to improve the air quality in the ports where they operate. This standard is only required in emission controlled areas, such as in some regions of North America and Europe, and has been voluntarily adopted by Wilson Sons.

“WS Rosalvo” is a RSD 2513 escort tug and has FIFI-1-certified fire-fighting equipment with a 2,400 m³ flow rate per hour. It is designed by Damen Shipyards and is 24 metres in length and 13 metres beam (width). It operates fore and aft with the same efficiency and can be used in both port manoeuvres as well as offshore towage. Bollard pull is over 90 tons, making the new tug the most powerful and sustainable in operation in Brazil, along with “WS Centaurus” and “WS Orion.”

“WS Rosalvo” has the same characteristics as “WS Centaurus” and “WS Orion” and joins the company’s fleet of 81 tugboats, the largest and most modern in Brazil. The first two new tugboats, which started operating in July and October last year, have executed around 650 manoeuvres.

The collaboration between Wilson Sons and Porto do Açu, further strengthened with the arrival of “WS Rosalvo,” also reflects the operating collaboration relationship between the companies, which began in 2016, in addition to the foundation, in 2022, of Cubo Maritime & Port, the first innovation hub dedicated to port and maritime solutions in Latin America.

“Wilson Sons is a great partner of the Port of Açu, both in operations as well as in maritime and port innovation. We have been together since the start of operations of the Port of Açu, at the Cubo Itaú hub in São Paulo, and at Blue Rio, a collaborative blue economy program in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Since 2016, the company has been operating in the port industry, providing first-class services. To us, it is also very important to pay tribute to Rosalvo, a former crew member here in Açu, whose name baptizes the new WS tugboat,” says Vinícius Patel, Director of Port Administration at Port of Açu.

Through its business units, Wilson Sons Group participates in the operation of more than 50% of all ships berthing in Brazilian ports, whether coming from abroad or from some location on our coast, by cabotage shipping.

Sharing is caring!