Svitzer contracts with Maersk generate job openings in Pecém. The company is investing US$ 30 million in four tugboats that will be built at the Rio Maguari shipyard (PA).

Svitzer, global leader in towage and Maersk's port arm, added two new Brazilian ports to its operations, also starting to operate in Pecém (Ceará) and Suape (Pernambuco) marking its entry into the Northeast Region of the country. Svitzer's contract with Maersk has already generated 30 new jobs in Pecém. The plans are part of Svitzer Brasil's growth strategy and represent an important milestone in the growth strategy of Svitzer Brasil and Svitzer Americas.

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The global leader Svitzer moved two tugboats from southern ports to compose the fleet at the terminal in Ceará. The company has been operating in Brazil since 2015 and, during this period, it has solidified its presence in the South and Southeast of the country, operating in five ports.

Svitzer signed a long-term contract with Maersk to operate in Porto do Pecém – Ceará

Initially, Svitzer signed a long-term contract with Maersk to operate in the Port of Pecém (Ceará). The company is also already negotiating new contracts at the terminal with the existing customer base, in addition to prospecting unprecedented opportunities.

“I am delighted that we can add Pecém and Suape to our presence in Brazil. This is an important milestone in our expansion strategy in the country”, declares Daniel Reedtz Cohen, executive director of Svitzer Brasil. "Most of our customers are multinationals with a presence in several ports, who appreciate tow operators who also have a large presence."

Regarding the start of operations in Ceará, Daniel Reedtz Cohen stresses that this is an important milestone for the company's expansion strategy in Brazil. “By improving and expanding our port coverage, we can better serve our customers' needs and support their growth ambitions”, he adds, in a note.

He argues that the pace of growth of port movement in the Port of Pecém (Ceará), both imports and exports, has stood out even during the pandemic. “Obviously, there was an impact, but what we are seeing is that mainly exports remained strong, and not only in the South, but we are also seeing the importance of the ports in the North and Northeast”, he adds.

Svitzer contracts with Maersk generate job openings in Ceará

Operations in Pecém (Ceará) and Suape generated around 30 new jobs. According to the executive, the company gives priority to local labor, aligning the knowledge that professionals already have with the quality standard developed by the multinational over the decades.

“The level of maritime knowledge here in Brazil and the Northeast is also high. So, for us, it makes the operation a lot easier having good people and reaching a certain quality standard is just a matter of combining these two things”, he says.

Among the training courses that contractors undergo is maintenance of tugboats and systems. Svitzer still prioritizes local suppliers in Ceará in its activities.

Svitzer is investing US$ 30 million in four tugboats that will be built at the Rio Maguari shipyard (PA).

According to Cohen, the company already has 14 tugboats operating in Brazil and is investing US$ 30 million in the construction of another four with state-of-the-art equipment and with powers above 60 tons, which should be delivered next year. The assembly of the vessels is also being carried out in Brazilian territory, in Rio Maguari shipyard (SHOVEL).

To start operations in the Port of Pecém (Ceará), the company moved two tugboats from ports in the South. “So, even with the construction just starting, we decided to start the expansion now”, he points out.

Despite the first contract, in Ceará, being to serve container ships, Svitzer ships serve all types of cargo and, according to the director, the company targets and monitors opportunities that may arise from projects under development in the State, like green hydrogen.

“We are firmly committed to the Americas, with operations in 12 countries and we see significant growth potential in the region, both in port towage and in the terminal, which are our main segments”, points out Arjen van Dijk, director of Svitzer Americas. “As a global and regional operator, we will pursue these opportunities to expand our presence in selected countries and ports. Brazil remains a key market for us and we are determined to continually transform our presence, knowledge and skills into value for our customers across the country.”

Headquartered in Panama, Svitzer Americas employs 835 people and operates more than 80 vessels, providing marine services to global and regional customers in 12 countries.