Svitzer is starting to operate two new tugs in Vitoria as the global leader in towage deepens its presence in the southeast of Brazil after concentrating its expansion efforts on Rio Grande and Santos in 2018.
“Our growth and geographic expansion in Brazil is being principally driven by clients who need high-quality services that provide safety, reliability and transparency,” says Rutger Thulin, Managing Director for Svitzer in Brazil. “Vitoria is a natural next step in establishing the right geographic footprint for our clients who want reliable services in the country,” he adds.
Vitoria represents the start to Svitzer’s second phase of expansion in Brazil. The first phase between 2015 and 2018 focused on the southeast and south of the country but the company now has its eye on potential opportunities in the northeast too.
“We are moving up the country following our clients, providing towage services to grains, fertilizer and container ships,” says Thulin. During the first phase, Svitzer entered the following ports: Paranagua, Santos, Rio Grande, Sao Francisco do Sul and Itapoa.
The company has invested more than close to half billion reais since 2015. Svitzer arrived in 2015 in Brazil following its purchase of Rio de Janeiro-based Transmar Serviços Marítimos.
The two brand new tugs that will service the Vitoria port are 32 metres long by 11 metres wide. They are equipped with MTU engines and Schottel propulsion generating an impressive bollard pull of more than 70 tonnes. “The new tugs are among the most powerful vessels servicing the port,” says Thulin. The two tugs were built in the Detroit shipyard and delivered end of December 2018 and are named Svitzer Elias D and Svitzer Joaquim R.
“After deploying 14 tugs, we are now in the next phase of our expansion in the Brazilian market with the arrival of two brand new tugs,” he adds, explaining the latest expansion to Vitoria is a part of a global strategy of growing in developing markets.
“As a leading towage operator Svitzer has provided safety and support at sea. With a fleet of more than 430 vessels and operations all over the world, the company is the global market leader within towage and emergency response,” he added.
Sea News, April 18
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