Caterpillar and Wilson Sons, a Brazilian shipping company, have signed an MoU to support Wilson Sons with the adoption of tug and offshore vessel powertrain technologies and services that enable the fulfilment of emissions reduction and decarbonisation in towage and offshore operations.
Together with Cat dealer Sotreq, Caterpillar will oversee the implementation of retrofits and upgrades to reduce the environmental impact of Wilson Sons’ existing fleet, technology-enabled services for emissions monitoring, and the usage of low- or zero-carbon fuels in the fleet.
Brad Johnson, Caterpillar Marine VP and GM said: “Improving sustainability in maritime operations requires us to not only address building new, more efficient ships that use low carbon fuels, but also understand how we can reduce the impact from existing fleets. The collaboration with Wilson Sons allows us to find solutions to both of these challenges from the perspective of a large operator.”
Adalberto Souza, executive director, Wilson Sons shipyards, said: “The MoU is a key step for Wilson Sons to boost the efficiency and sustainability of port operations. We have planned to build six new Cat powered tugboats, two of which have been delivered already. These tugs incorporate new technologies, including IMO Tier III emissions standards. An innovative tug design allows an estimated reduction of up to 14% in greenhouse gas emissions thanks to more efficient hydrodynamics. For the coming years, we are planning to build new tugs designed for reduced emissions, usage of batteries or alternative fuels like biodiesel, methanol or ethanol.”
The MoU further demonstrates efforts from Caterpillar to work with maritime operators to implement technologies and services to help achieve their climate-related goals. With a stated commitment of incorporating sustainability into its business, Wilson Sons will work with Caterpillar to adopt new technologies that positively impact operational efficiency and reduce carbon emissions long-term, such as by adopting low carbon fuels, hybrid, and electrification solutions.
Andres Perez, global tug segment manager, Caterpillar Marine concluded: “We’re looking at a broad range of solutions in our portfolio in alignment with Wilson Sons’ goals. In the case of engine upgrades, our solution leverages the high durability of Caterpillar Marine engines. It adds engineering improvements, emissions reduction, and performance enhancements developed since the inception of the original asset. When combined with major overhauls, customers can significantly improve the value of their assets for a reasonable incremental investment. In addition, we fully leverage Cat Reman, reducing waste and minimising the need for raw material, energy and water associated with producing new parts.”
