At Intermodal South America, Wilson Sons presents new solutions for the maritime and port industry in Brazil and the global logistics chain

Wilson Sons, Brazil's largest integrated port and maritime logistics operator, participates in Intermodal South America 2023 taking place in São Paulo from February 28^th through March 2^nd, and presents new solutions for the maritime and port industry in Brazil and the global logistics chain. With 185 years of operations and nationwide coverage, the company is constantly adopting new technologies to support sustainable development in Brazil. At its F70 exhibition stand in Intermodal South America, it will exchange information, strengthen relationships with stakeholders and present its diversified portfolio.

Its business units include two container terminals (in Bahia and Rio Grande do Sul); 80 tugboats (the largest and most powerful fleet in Brazil); two shipyards in Guarujá (São Paulo); 23 offshore support vessels flying the Brazilian flag; two offshore support bases in Guanabara Bay (Rio de Janeiro); a bonded logistics centre in Santo André (São Paulo); and one of the largest independent shipping agencies in Brazil.

Throughout its history of nearly two centuries, Wilson Son has been supporting the development of global trade and decisively collaborating with Brazil's competitiveness. The company strives to optimise the logistics chain, which is key to the country's economy and sustainable development, where 90% of the trade flow is transported by sea, accounting for about 24% of the Brazilian economy. It should be noted that seaports and shipping are also very relevant for Latin America, and the foundations of the world economy: 80% to 90% of global trade uses sea transport. Transported goods are worth US$ 5 trillion in added value.

“Innovation and adoption of new technologies are part of Wilson Sons' DNA. We are very happy to participate once more in Latin America’s biggest event, Intermodal, by offering solutions to make offshore and port operations even more efficient and sustainable. We pursue long-term sustainable development targeted at creating value for our stakeholders,” says Wilson Sons COO Arnaldo Calbucci.

The two terminal facilities owned by Wilson Sons are able to operate the largest ships on the Brazilian coast. The Rio Grande Container Terminal, based in Rio Grande do Sul, is the most automated facility in Brazil, while the Salvador Container Terminal has just broken a productivity record at the new quay Santa Dulce dos Pobres. The new tugboats are the first in Brazil with the IMO TIER III standard established by the International Maritime Organization. With an innovative design, they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 14%, thus delivering a positive environmental impact and improving air quality in the ports where they operate. At the shipyards, 150 vessels were built and the company is currently in a new cycle of building six more sustainable tugboats.

Two of them were delivered in 2022 ("WS Centaurus" and "WS Orion"), three will be delivered in 2023 and the last one, in early 2024.

Wilson Sons sponsors Cubo Itaú, Latin America’s most relevant innovation hub, and manages Cubo Maritime & Port in a collaboration with other companies. The project aims to make port operations and waterway cargo transport increasingly more efficient, safer and sustainable. The company is a minority investor in three startups that provide relevant technologies and solutions for the digital transformation of our industry. The startups include the Israeli DockTech (which scans the seabed of ports to make shipping and dredging more efficient), the Brazilian Argonáutica (with the dynamic draft tool that optimises ship loading and berthing at terminals) and the British AlDrivers (conversion of vehicles and conventional machinery, such as trucks, into autonomous equipment).

Wilson Sons Digital Transformation director Eduardo Valença believes that Intermodal is a unique opportunity to exchange information, strengthen relationships, discuss innovation and show how companies in Brazil are working on this relevant agenda. On March 1^st, Eduardo will participate in the 1^st Intermodal South America Conference as a panellist in “The role of technology in the development of Brazil’s maritime and port industry,” to take place at 2 pm. Mediated by Cubo Itaú CEO Paulo Costa, the panel will also feature Guilherme Rosetti (founding partner of Argonáutica), Vinicius Patel (Porto do Açu COO) and Mariana Yoshioka (director of Engineering and Innovation at Hidrovias do Brasil).

“We are experiencing an unprecedented scenario in the maritime and port sector. Therefore, we need to seize this opportunity and translate this moment into efficiency gains and more sustainable operations, while promoting the emergence, development and proliferation of startups, with impacting solutions for our industry,” Valença says.

On March 2^nd, Demir Lourenço, executive director of Wilson Sons' Salvador Container Terminal and Santo André Logistics Centre (in São Paulo), will also participate in Intermodal as a panellist in “International trade post-pandemic: logistics operators’ perceptions of the changes in production chains,” to be held at 3.30 pm. Mediated by Marcella Cunha (executive director of ABOL), the panel will also feature Daniel Salcedo (commercial director at Brado). Lourenço says that Wilson Sons has invested more than BRL 900 million in the Port of Salvador through the Salvador Container Terminal, BRL 443 million of which in the past two years alone, which were also impacted by the pandemic.

With high technological and operating efficiency and safety, the terminal is a north and northeast leader in import and export operations, standing out among the 10 most productive terminals in Brazil. It handles cargo from different industries and origins, including: fruit, cotton, fertiliser, leather, cellulose, juice, cocoa products, sisal products, timber products, meat, sugar, rice, coffee, tires, electronics, chemicals, in addition to large-sized bulk and loose cargo directed at renewable energy projects and others.

“The Salvador Container Terminal has a central position on the Brazilian coast and is close to highways and airports. It connects northern and north-eastern Brazil with world trade, and is fully equipped to operate the largest container ships in the world — New Panamax — a world trend,” Lourenço says.

In 2022, Wilson Sons received, for the second year running, the Golden Seal in the GHG Protocol Program. This certification is the highest level of recognition for companies that demonstrate transparency in inventories aimed at an agenda to fight climate change. In the same year, the company became the first in Latin America to join TIC 4.0, a global committee for port industry innovation that includes global terminal operators and manufacturers and suppliers of state-of-the-art port equipment and technology. In recognition of its organisational culture, in 2022, Wilson Sons was awarded one of the “Best Companies to Work for in Rio de Janeiro” by Great Place to Work (GPTW).