91 tonnes of bollard pull, Wilson Sons’ newbuild WS Centaurus is both the most powerful and the first tug in Brazil to follow IMO’s Tier III emissions standard
WS Centaurusis the first in Brazil to follow IMO’s Tier III emissions standard by lowering nitrogen oxide emissions by more than 75% to help improve air quality in the ports where it operates.
Built at Wilson Sons’ shipyard in Guarujá in Brazil’s Sao Paulo state and designed by Damen Shipyards, the new tug is a 25-m long, 13-m beam, fire-fighting-certified (Fi-Fi 1) escort tug.
WS Centaurus is the first of half a dozen new tugs built to Damen’s RSD 2513 design. The hydrodynamic design improves hull efficiency for an estimated reduction of up to 14% in greenhouse gas emissions, according to Wilson Sons and the designer. Twin fins on the hull improve seaworthiness and increase drag capacity during manoeuvres, which aids in reducing fuel consumption and lowering emissions.
The new tugboat began operations in June and is now set to join the Wilson Sons’ fleet in São LuÃs, Brazil to support berthing and unberthing of vessels at the Ponta da Madeira Terminal and the port of Itaqui and Alumar.
“WS Centaurus will operate in São Luis do Maranhão, helping to increase the efficiency of Wilson Sons’ fleet of 11 tugboats already operating in the area. The tug will manoeuvre the large iron ore ships berthing at the Ponta da Madeira terminal, as these vessels require powerful tugs. Its operation will also be important in the Port of Itaqui, which has been growing in terms of agribusiness activities, with cargoes of grains, fertilisers and liquids, such as oil and derivatives,” Wilson Sons executive director tugboat division Márcio Castro said.
Wilson Sons are expecting another two new tugs for delivery later this year that will come into operation in 2023.
Wilson Sons is the largest integrated port-shipping logistics operator in Brazil, serving more than 5,000 clients, including shipowners, importers and exporters, oil and gas companies, renewable energy companies and agribusiness.
