Wilson Sons begins operations with DTC RSD Tug 2513 WS Castor

Wilson Sons has recently commenced the operation of its latest tug, the WS Castor. The vessel is based on Damen’s proven RSD Tug 2513 design and is number four in a series of six that Wilson Sons is building at its Guarujá shipyard.

Thirty years of successful collaboration

The company is constructing the vessels under the Damen Technical Cooperation (DTC). With DTC, third party shipyards have access to proven Damen designs, built anywhere in the world. Damen provides a combination of vessel design, materials package and construction support in a combination tailored to the specific requirements of the partner yard.

Damen and Wilson Sons have been collaborating in this way for almost three decades now. The relationship began with the two companies cooperating on the construction of buoy-laying vessels for the Brazilian Navy.

The relationship between them proven so good that Wilson Sons began to use DTC for the construction of its own workboats. This expanded over time to include offshore support vessels. To date, Wilson Sons has built almost 100 vessels with DTC.

Increased power and sustainability

The latest vessel is operating in Latin America’s largest port – the Port of Santos. Here, with her 90 tonnes bollard pull, WS Castor is amongst the most powerful tugs in Brazil and is able to assist the largest vessels to call.

WS Castor, and her sister vessels WS Centaurus, WS Orion, and WS Rosalvo are the first tugs to operate in Brazil in accordance with IMO Tier III regulations. The vessels’ ability to meet these stringent environmental standards is the result of Damen’s Emission Reduction System. This modular solution is a straightforward addition that can be installed to newbuild vessels and as a retrofit project alike, reduces the vessels’ NO_X by 80% compared to IMO requirements.

Reduced fuel consumption

Additionally, the RSD Tug 2513 is designed to offer increased efficiency in operation. The shape of the vessel’s hull and the inclusion of Damen’s patented Twin Fin skeg play a role in reducing the tug’s drag. This results in reduced fuel consumption in the region of 14% compared to a vessel with similar bollard pull.

MS Centaurus and MS Orion are operating in the port of São Luís, Maranhão at the Ponta da Madeira, Itaqui and Alumar terminals, assisting vessels transporting up to 400,000 tons cargo. MS Rosalvo operates in the Port of Açu, in São João da Barra, serving the offshore mining and energy industries.

The remaining two vessels in the series are anticipated to commence operations in 2024. The building of the six vessels is funded by BNDES – the Brazilian Development Bank – through the Merchant Navy Fund (FMM).

WS Castor and her sisters are playing a significant role in supporting Wilson Sons in meeting its goals of safety, sustainability, and operational efficiency.