Tidewater has completed the acquisition of Wilson Sons Ultratug Participações and its affiliate Atlantic Offshore Services in a transaction valued at approximately $500 million.
The deal was completed on August 31, 2026, several months after the agreement was first announced.
As part of the acquisition, Tidewater has added 22 offshore support vessels, primarily platform supply vessels, operating in Brazil.
The transaction significantly strengthens the company’s position in one of the world’s most important offshore markets. Before the acquisition, Tidewater operated only a small fleet in Brazil. With the addition of the Wilson Sons Ultratug vessels, the company’s presence in the country has expanded considerably.
Brazil remains one of the key global regions for offshore oil and gas development, particularly in deepwater and ultra-deepwater projects. Continued activity in the region supports long-term demand for modern offshore support vessels.
The acquired fleet consists mainly of platform supply vessels used to transport equipment, materials, fuel and other supplies between offshore installations and shore bases.
An important part of the transaction is that 19 of the acquired vessels were built in Brazil. This gives Tidewater a stronger position in the local market and supports its operations under Brazilian cabotage regulations.
Following the acquisition, Tidewater’s global fleet now exceeds 230 vessels, making the company one of the largest offshore support vessel operators in the world.
The company expects the integration of the newly acquired vessels and operations to continue over the coming months, with the process expected to be substantially completed by early 2027.
Tidewater has been actively expanding its offshore fleet in recent years. Previous acquisitions have included Swire Pacific Offshore and a large number of platform supply vessels from Solstad Offshore.
The latest acquisition further strengthens Tidewater’s position in the global offshore sector and significantly increases its exposure to the Brazilian market.
For offshore professionals, the expansion may also create additional employment opportunities over time, including demand for deck officers, engineers and other experienced offshore crew as the newly acquired vessels are integrated into Tidewater’s operations.
