Wilson Sons earns the 2025 Diamond Sustainability Seal from the Brazilian Ministry of Ports and Airports
RIO DE JANEIRO: With over 187 years of experience, Wilson Sons has earned the 2025 Sustainability Seal in the Diamond category after a technical assessment conducted by Brazil’s Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor). The awards ceremony was held this Wednesday (November 12th) in Belém, Pará. The award was received by Roberta Carvalhal, Legal and Institutional Relations Director at Wilson Sons; João David Santos, Sustainability Manager; Camila Felipe, Sustainable Development Manager; and Guilherme Silva, Safety, Environment, and Climate Change Manager.
The Sustainability Seal is a recognition and an incentive for companies with good environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices that have adhered to the Sustainability Pact established by Ordinance no. 58/2025. The pact aims to help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to implement social and environmental programs aligned with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.
According to MPor, the 63 companies participating in the program presented action plans based on environment, social development, and governance. Based on their assessed performance, the organisations received Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Diamond seals. In this first edition, 36 organisations were awarded prizes across different categories.
Wilson Sons has been incorporating new technologies and sustainable practices to deliver safer, more efficient, and more sustainable operations, and to enhance social programs. Additionally, it has conducted multiple studies to implement innovations to cut down on fuel and electricity consumption.
“By adhering to the pact and now earning the Diamond Seal, we reaffirm Wilson Sons’ commitment to sustainability by strengthening our strategy of applying the best ESG practices to our businesses,” says Wilson Sons CEO Arnaldo Calbucci.
Sustainability Manager João David Santos says that “the pact is a relevant initiative to strengthen Brazil’s global competitiveness while promoting the sustainable development of the port industry.”
The event had the institutional support of the National Confederation of Transport (CNT) and Infra S.A. The awards ceremony, held during the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), was attended by the National Secretary of Waterways and Shipping Otto Burlier, the MPor Director of Sustainability Larissa Amorim, and Infra S.A. Superintendent of Environmental and Territorial Management Bruno Marques.
More sustainable tugboats and 100% renewable electricity
Breakthrough technologies and new equipment used in Wilson Sons’ business units, such as the Towage division and the container terminals in Salvador (Bahia) and Rio Grande (Rio Grande do Sul), which are capable of operating the largest ships in the world, make operations safer, more efficient, and with lower emissions, thereby supporting the decarbonisation of port and maritime logistics in Brazil.
Between 2022 and 2024, Wilson Sons built six tugboats with more sustainable technology at its shipyard in Guarujá (São Paulo), in the Santos port complex, renewing its fleet of more than 80 tugs that operate along the Brazilian coastline. Their innovative hull design leads to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and an estimated decrease of 14% in the consumption of fossil fuels, supporting the improvement of air quality in the ports where they operate. In 2025, Wilson Sons started building a new range of three super powerful tugboats with sustainable technology at its shipyard.
Other decarbonisation actions include the use of shore power in tugboats (prioritising renewable energy); tracking the tugboat fleet at the Operations Centre in Santos, which optimises travel speeds; and, at the container terminals, the acquisition of 100% renewable electricity (Rio Grande Container Terminal) and the replacement of diesel-powered with electric equipment (Rio Grande and Salvador Container Terminals).
About Wilson Sons
Recognized for its extensive experience of more than 187 years, Wilson Sons has a national reach and offers comprehensive solutions to over 5,000 clients, including shipping companies, importers and exporters, the offshore energy industry, renewable energy projects, the agribusiness sector, as well as other players across various economic segments.