News

Investment holding company Ocean Wilsons has agreed to sell its 56.47% stake in Brazilian unit Wilson Sons to shipping services provider SAS for 4.35 billion reais (approximately $764.9 million), the company announced on Monday.

London-listed Ocean Wilsons, the controlling shareholder of shipping firm Wilson Sons, said the sale comes at a “compelling time” after the company reviewed its investment in the Brazilian business last year.

The move by SAS, a subsidiary of shipping giant MSC, follows a $2 billion acquisition by French competitor CMA CGM, which bought port terminal operator Santos Brasil last month.

MSC, a privately-held Swiss group, has been expanding its operations in Brazil, one of the world’s major commodity exporters, through strategic investments and acquisitions. In 2021, it purchased local logistics firm Log-In.

Wilson Sons’ portfolio includes container terminals in the states of Bahia and Rio Grande do Sul, as well as tugboats, offshore support vessels, a logistics center, and two shipyards.

The deal implies a price of 17.50 reais per Wilson Sons share, slightly below the Friday closing price of 17.85 reais. After the announcement, shares of Wilson Sons fell by more than 9% in Sao Paulo, while Ocean Wilsons’ shares in London surged by as much as 8.3%, hitting a record high before retreating.

Ocean Wilsons expects to return a portion of the sale proceeds as special dividends, while considering reinvesting the remaining funds into its diversified portfolio under Ocean Wilsons Investments.

Analysts from Jefferies noted that while the price was “slightly below” Wilson Sons’ Friday close, the announced dividends should help offset concerns. The shares of Wilson Sons had increased by 66% since a 2021 restructuring.

MSC’s SAS outbid private equity firm I Squared Capital, which had previously been in discussions with Ocean Wilsons about acquiring Wilson Sons.

Following the deal’s closure, expected in the second half of 2025, MSC will launch a tender offer for the remaining shares of Wilson Sons.

Moving The Sea With Us!

Contact us today: +351 265 544 370 or go to Contacts Page

Email:  sales@partyard.eu

#PartYard #PartYardMarine #MSCBuysWilsonSons #ShippingIndustry #BrazilTrade #MaritimeAcquisition #Logistics #OceanWilsons #SASShipping #GlobalTrade #PortOperations #Tugboats #OffshoreSupport #ShippingNews #MaritimeExpansion #InvestmentNews #BrazilPorts #WilsonSons #MovingTheSeaWithUs