Sons News

Tidewater Inc. announced its 2025 results with Quintin Kneen, Tidewater’s President and CEO, commenting, “Although 2025 was anticipated to be a down year for the offshore industry, I am pleased to say that by all measures Tidewater was able to successfully navigate these challenges to deliver one of the best years in recent memory, demonstrating the resilience of the company we’ve endeavored to build over the last eight years.”The business generated year-over-year revenue growth, gross margin expansion and average day rate growth.

All-Cash Deal, Expanding Brazil FootprintTidewater Inc. (NYSE: TDW) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Wilson Sons Ultratug Participações S.A. and its affiliate Atlantic Offshore Services S.A. (collectively, WSUT) in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $500 million, including the assumption of existing debt.The acquisition significantly strengthens Tidewater’s position in the global offshore support vessel (OSV) market while marking a decisive expansion in…

Wilson Sons held a launch ceremony for the tugboat WS Halcyon Thursday, January 29, in Rio de Janeiro. It is the first of a new series of three high-powered tugs.Built at the company’s shipyard in Guarujá (São Paulo), WS Halcyon is a class 2312 tug (23 meters long and 12 meters wide) with azimuth propulsion and 70 tons of bollard pull, which is capable of supporting the world’s biggest ships on docking and undocking maneuvers in Brazil's main ports. It is also equipped with a firefighting system with a capacity of 2…

Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg crew members held a memorial service honoring the fallen crew members from Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn, Wednesday, at the Blackthorn Memorial in St. Petersburg.The memorial ceremony marked the 46th anniversary of the 23 lives lost during the collision between Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn and the motor vessel Capricorn near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on Jan. 28, 1980. The ship had a crew complement of 50.“Today, we honor the memory of the 23 men we lost that day,” said Master Chief Petty Officer Henry J. Audette Jr., Southeast District command master chief.

James Fisher and Sons has invested in U.S.-based autonomous marine technology company Ocean Aero, taking a strategic minority stake as part of Ocean Aero’s Series D funding round.The investment increases James Fisher’s exposure to autonomous and low-emission marine technology and supports the development and deployment of Ocean Aero’s Triton Autonomous Underwater and Surface Vehicle (AUSV), a wind- and solar-powered platform designed to operate without onboard crews.Ocean Aero designs…

James Fisher and Sons has established a new operational base in Uruguay. A key growth region for the business, the new base expands James Fisher’s ship-to-ship (STS) services in South America to provide a strategic hub for clients requiring rapid mobilization and support across South America’s energy trade routes.The base was inaugurated with a successful offshore operation, safely transferring one million barrels of crude oil between two tankers. The operation mobilized James Fisher’s specialist equipment…

Shipping and logistics firm Wilson Sons has opened new facilities at its Training Centre and Towage Operations Centre in Santos, São Paulo, including a tugboat manoeuvre simulator designed to improve operating safety, efficiency and sustainability.This simulator will train the company's captains and maritime workers on safety procedures and cutting-edge technology for its fleet of over 80 tugboats, which operate in more than 25 ports along the Brazilian coast, supporting domestic and international trade…

The U.S. Coast Guard commissioned its newest cutter, Coast Guard Cutter Earl Cunningham (WPC 1159), for official entry into its service fleet during a ceremony held in Kodiak, Monday.The Earl Cunningham is the 59th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) in the service and the second of three FRCs scheduled to be homeported at Coast Guard Base Kodiak.The crew of the Cunningham primarily serves in and around the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and North Pacific Ocean. The cutter is designed for missions such as search and rescue…

James Fisher and Sons, a global provider of marine solutions, has marked the start of construction of its chemical tankers fleet with the laying of the keel for the first vessel, Orca Fisher, at the China Merchants Industry Yangzhou Dingheng Shipyard (YZDH).Orca Fisher is the first of four next-generation vessels - known as the Sealife class - introduced as part of James Fisher’s Fleet of the Future, a long-term program to modernize its tankships fleet with more efficient, lower-carbon vessels that support the use of alternative fuel propulsion.The new vessels - which includes Orca Fisher…

Stäubli Electrical Connectors, a leader in advanced connector solutions, and Hepburn and Sons LLC, a leader in Department of Defense (DoD) technology integration, have announced a strategic partnership to develop an improved version of Insulated Bus Pipe (IBP), tailored to meet the U.S. Navy’s power distribution needs for next-generation high-energy pulsed power systems.This collaboration combines Hepburn’s expertise in DoD technology solutions with Stäubli’s manufacturing and connector design capabilities.

James Fisher and Sons, a global provider of specialist services to the energy, marine and defense industries, has launched new legal entity in Japan, reinforcing its long-term commitment to Japan and its footprint in North East Asia.The move furthers James Fisher’s intention to bring its integrated offering and solutions to Japan’s energy transition, maritime security and defense needs.The group already has a partnership covering the offshore wind service industry, including a…

Shipping and logistics firm Wilson Sons has started testing drones in the Port of Salvador to make vessel deliveries and pickups. The trials represent the first time the drones have been used to make deliveries in port facilities in Brazil.Speedbird Aero, which specializes in designing, manufacturing, and operating drones, owns the uncrewed aerial vehicles.In 2022, it was the first company to obtain authorization from Brazil's National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) to operate uncrewed…

This month, Wilson Sons received approval from ANP to conduct the first tests on using HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) in the Brazilian maritime sector, with efen and Port of Açu as partners.To replace marine diesel oil, efen will import HVO, also known as renewable diesel or green diesel, to be tested on Wilson Sons' tugs in the Port of Açu, in São João da Barra (Rio de Janeiro). The liquid handling operation will be conducted at the Açu Liquid Bulk Terminal (TLA), owned by Vast Infraestrutura.“After the testing period, we expect to expand the distribution of HVO to Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs) and other offshore support vessels in the Port of Açu…

James Fisher and Sons has ordered four new LNG dual-fuel tankers from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) Dingheng as part of its ‘fleet of the future’ business strategy.The new tankers, which will carry oil products and IMO Class II chemicals, will have LNG dual-fuel propulsion capability, expected to help to reduce operational CO2 emissions and associated environmental impact over the long-term.A number of features that will add to the overall sustainability of the new builds have been carried over from recent additions to the company’s fleet…

President James Earl "Jimmy" Carter passed away on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100.President Carter graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946 with distinction, after which he was assigned to USS Wyoming (E-AG 17) as an ensign. After completing two years of surface ship duty, Carter applied for submarine duty. He served as executive officer, engineering officer, and electronics repair officer on the submarine SSK-1. When Admiral Hyman G. Rickover (then a captain) started his program to create nuclear-powered submarines…

R.W. Fernstrum & Company, founded by Robert W. Fernstrum 75 years ago, is a quintessential U.S. manufacturing story. The company was born in the aftermath of WWII, founded on an invention developed during the war by Robert Fernstrum to help solve an engine overheating problem that was plaguing U.S. Navy landing craft. Family owned and operated from day one, today the company includes a fourth generation of family that aims to continue the legacy of its founder, a legacy built on effective…

Wilson Sons will start building in 2025 a new range of three powerful tugboats with sustainable technology at its shipyard in Guarujá, São Paulo. It plans on renewing and modernizing its fleet of more than 80 tugboats, which operate along the Brazilian coast.The three vessels are ASD 2312 (23 x 12m) tugs with azimuth propulsion and 70 tons of bollard pull, and are capable of supporting 366-m super container ships on docking and undocking maneuvers in the country's main ports.The new tugs follow the IMO TIER III standard established by the International Maritime Organization…

Investment holding company Ocean Wilsons has agreed to sell its 56.47% stake in Brazilian unit Wilson Sons to shipping services provider SAS for 4.35 billion reais ($764.9 million), it said on Monday.London-listed Ocean Wilsons, which is the controlling shareholder of shipping firm Wilson Sons, said in a statement it was a "compelling time" for the sale, after it announced last year it was reviewing its investment in the Brazilian company.The move by SAS, a unit of shipping giant MSC, follows French rival CMA CGM's $2 billion deal to buy port terminal operator Santos Brasil last month.MSC, a p

The Wilson Sons tug WS Onix has commenced operation in the Port of Santos, the largest port facility in Latin America.It is the sixth vessel in the company's 2513 class and was built at the Wilson Sons shipyard in Guarujá (SP). The six new tugs built over the last two years have completed more than 5,000 port maneuvers. They are 25 meters long and 13 meters wide, operate forward and aft with the same efficiency and can be used in port maneuvers and deep-sea towage.The tugs are equipped with over 90 tons of bollard pull and are the first ever in Brazil to meet the IMO TIER III standard…

Vale has signed a five-year contract with Brazil's Wilson Sons covering scheduled maintenance for seven of its vessels.Under the contract, scheduled maintenance will be carried out on Vale’s five tugboats and two ferryboats operating in Rio de Janeiro, at Wilson Sonss shipyards in Guarujá, Port of Santos.Operating on all five continents, Vale produces iron ore, pellets and nickel, and its vessels in Brazil provide port support, assisting the docking and undocking of ships at the Guaíba Island Terminal (TIG)…

Wilson Sons said it has started operations on WS Dorado at the Ponta da Madeira, Itaqui and Alumar terminals facilities in São Luís, Maranhão.Designed by the Dutch Damen Shipyards, it is the fifth powerful tug with more sustainable technology in a range of six 2513-class tugboats. Built at the company’s shipyards in Guarujá (SP), the new tug will support berthing and unberthing operations in these terminals facilities, attending large ships exporting iron ore, which carry up to 400,000 tons of cargo.WS Dorado joins the company's fleet of 11 tugboats in that region.

A new high-speed low-draft landing craft Island Guardian has been delivered to the Great Barrier Reef Joint Field Management Program in Australia.The new 21-meter vessel has been custom-designed by Incat Crowther and built by Norman Wright & Sons to enhance island protected area management, research, incident response and facilitate more efficient management of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.The Great Barrier Reef Joint Field Management Program is delivered jointly by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service…

A new 24-meter passenger ferry designed by Incat Crowther and built by Norman R. Wright & Sons has begun servicing a busy passenger route for commuter and tourism ferry operator SeaLink South-East Queensland. The new Incat Crowther 24, named Talwurrapin, began operating on the Redland Bay to Russell Island route in the Moreton Bay region in late January 2023, providing a vital connection between the mainland and Russell Island.Incat Crowther said it worked with SeaLink South-East…