Wilson Sons resumes docking of offshore supply vessels at its shipyards in Guarujá, Port of Santos

Wilson Sons, a leader in port and maritime logistics in Brazil, has resumed, this month, the docking of offshore supply vessels at its shipyards in Guarujá, in the Port of Santos (São Paulo), the largest port facility in Latin America. The PSV (Platform Supply Vessel) Zarapito, owned by Wilson Sons Ultratug Offshore (WSUT, a joint venture with the Chilean group Ultramar), underwent scheduled maintenance simultaneously with the docking of a tugboat. The operations involved around 300 workers.

The last docking of a PSV at the company’s shipyards was carried out in October last year. As for Zarapito, built in 2014 at the company’s shipyards, the last docking had been in 2019. Maintenance on the PSV includes servicing and painting tanks and compartments and the hull; changing anodes and pipes; valve overhaul; repairing/replacing equipment; assessing steel plate thickness and replacing it; and electrical services.

The WSUT-owned PSV is 89 metres long, 16 metres wide, and weighs 4,281 tons. It supports oil and gas exploration and production platforms in the Santos and Campos basins. It transports different types of cargo and materials, traveling up to 300 kilometres between the support bases and platforms. It carries supplies (for personnel on board), equipment (pumps, engines, valves, drilling equipment, tools, and electrical and mechanical components), fuel, lubricants, construction and maintenance materials, and others.

In order to ensure service excellence and operational efficiency, Wilson Sons took special care in the PSV docking by complying with all technical and legal requirements applicable. The procedures include a pre-docking inspection to identify any potential damages or problems to be remedied and the guarantee that the vessel has the certifications and all documentation required by the authorities. During maintenance, the company adopted strict safety procedures to prevent accidents and ensure a safe working environment for the team involved in the operation.

“Simultaneous docking of PSV Zarapito and a tugboat attests to our team’s ability to attend to different vessels and clients while meeting the deadlines and adopting superior quality standards. We are constantly looking to exceed client expectations. To this end, we leverage our infrastructure, the expertise of our team, and the best safety practices, ensuring the operational efficiency of the ships,” said the executive director of Wilson Sons’ shipyard division Adalberto Souza.

In simultaneous docking, the company has a distinguishing edge: an intermediate floodgate to make it easier for ships to get to the dike. This allows controlled entry and exit, even when the dike is partially dry. By blocking off the dike, the operation gains operational flexibility, as multiple vessels can be attended to simultaneously.

New docking operations in the second half of the year

With these two dockings, from January to June this year, Wilson Sons’ shipyards have conducted 12 scheduled vessel maintenances, up 9.1% compared to the same period in 2023. In the company’s portfolio, 20 more dockings are planned by December, totaling 32 ships.

It is expected that 2024 will end with an increase of 33% in the total number of docking services compared to last year.

Building innovative tugboats

In addition to the two dockings, Wilson Sons’ shipyards are building the tug WS Onix, one of six new tugs with more sustainable technology, the first ones in Brazil to follow the International Maritime Organization TIER III. Their innovative hull design leads to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and an estimated decrease of 14% in the consumption of fossil fuels, helping to decrease pollutant emissions and operational fuelling expenses.

Five of these 90-ton bollard pull tugs have been delivered since July 2022 (WS Centaurus, WS Orion, WS Rosalvo, WS Castor, and WS Dorado — baptized in March). WS Onix will be launched later this year.

For over 80 years, Wilson Sons’ shipyards have operated in the Port of Santos. Its two shipyard facilities in Guarujá have 39,000 m² and specialize in shipbuilding, conversion, maintenance, and repair. Wilson Sons is the only company that owns a dry dock at the Port of Santos, offering pioneering and innovative service solutions.

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