Page 39: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2020)

INTERVIEW: MARCIO CASTRO, WILSON SONS

Wilson Sons is the largest integrated port and mari- time logistics operator in Brazil, operating more than 80 workboats. Marcio Castro, Executive Director Tug- boat Division, discusses with Maritime Reporter the size, shape & technical direction of the f eet.

Mr. Castro, to start, how did you come to a career in maritime?

I graduated in System Engineering at Rio de Janeiro State

University (UERJ), I also have an MBA in Business Adminis- tration (Coppead/UFRJ). I joined Wilson Sons in 2003, start- ing a long career, with many positions as System Development

Coordinator, Project Manager, Rio de Janeiro Branch Manag- er, São Paulo & Parana Regional Manager, Operation Director.

Currently, I am the Executive Director of the Towage Business.

I’m sure many of our readers know the Wilson

Sons name, but please give an overview of the company as a whole.

Wilson Sons is the largest integrated port and maritime logis- tics operator in Brazil and offers supply chain solutions based on experience gathered over 180 years. The company is made up of various segments. It manages two container terminals, one in the port of Salvador (Tecon Salvador) and one in the port of Rio Grande (Tecon Rio Grande). It also has 80 tugboats, the largest ? eet in Brazil, 23 offshore support vessels, two offshore support bases (Rio and Niterói), dry ports and logistics centers (Santo André and Suape), two shipyards in Guarujá (SP) and one of the largest independent maritime agencies in the coun- try. Allink is one of the largest and most respected companies specialized in ocean freight LCL consolidation cargo and also the only neutral air consolidator in Brazil.

How is Wilson Sons investing in its Tugboat f eet/ division today?

We have just started the building project of six escort tugs with 80 TBP. These new tugboats will help us in our ? eet re- newal, to serve our customers large vessels that will start call- ing Brazilian ports. We will also be ready for new opportunities that can arise in projects of new terminals, LNG Operations, dedicated terminal towage and for the oil & gas industry.

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