WSB Advisors in the press – Portos e Navios

Alexandre Vilela, CEO of WSB Advisors, was interviewed this week by Portos e Navios, analyzing the three transactions that impacted most the offshore market in 2026: Tidewater / WS Ultratug Offshore, OceanPact Serviços Marítimos / Companhia Brasileira de Offshore (CBO), and ASM Maritime / Maersk Supply Service Brasil. In the conversation, he detailed the strategic factors behind these moves and what they indicate for the future of the offshore support vessel market in Brazil.

According to Vilela, the merger between OceanPact and CBO had long been anticipated by the market and is part of a global consolidation cycle that began after the 2014–2016 oil crisis. Major international groups such as DOF Group and Solstad Offshore have also undergone significant fleet and corporate restructuring processes in recent years. In Brazil, however, such movements tend to occur with some delay, due to regulatory characteristics and the prevalence of long-term contracts.

For the executive, current signals suggest the sector is now moving into a new phase. More than mergers, the next cycle is expected to be marked by fleet renewal and expansion, driven by the ageing of offshore vessels. With a global average fleet age between 15 and 17 years — and even higher in some Brazilian segments — the stage appears set for new investments, including the possible entry of new players into the national market.

“The offshore sector has undergone more than forty consolidation transactions in recent years, something unprecedented since the 2014 crisis,” Vilela says.

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