The meeting rooms at our office in downtown Rio de Janeiro hosted a peculiar event last Thursday (May 14). Wärtsilä, a global reference in technologies and solutions for the marine and energy sectors, arrived with an international delegation and held a high-level technical workshop with the full support of WSB Advisors team.
The event brought together around 30 executives, engineers, and specialists from the shipbuilding and offshore industries for an afternoon of technical exchange, networking, and discussions on trends shaping the future of navigation and the energy transition in the maritime sector.
The workshop welcomed representatives from companies and institutions such as Petrobras, Transpetro, Ecovix, Ghenova, and Bureau Veritas, creating a highly technical environment focused on sharing international experience and operational best practices, especially within the LPG vessel segment.
The opening remarks were delivered by Raphael Montes, Managing Director at WSB, who highlighted the importance of bringing together companies, specialists, and decision-makers for strategic discussions aimed at advancing the Brazilian maritime industry. The closing remarks were delivered by Paulo Rolim, Advisory Services Lead at WSB.
Among Wärtsilä’s international speakers were Johnny Kackur, Head of Coastal Merchant, from Finland and Frank Harteveld, Fuel Gas Supply System – Ethanol/Methanol, from the Netherlands. Carlos Mikus, Wärtsilä Gas Solutions – Cargo Handling Systems, also participated in the event. The workshop was coordinated and organized by Robert Klein, Newbuildings Sales Manager, with the participation of Mario Barbosa, General Manager Brazil, and Genil Mazza, Sales Manager Marine, Newbuilding LatAm.
During the presentations, technical topics included Wärtsilä W32, W31, and W20 engines, marine propulsion systems, Energy Saving Devices (ESDs), shaft generators, and operational best practices for merchant vessels.
The workshop also featured in-depth discussions on the challenges and opportunities involving alternative fuels such as ethanol, methanol, and biodiesel, as well as cargo handling and gas management solutions (Gas Solutions) — topics that are becoming increasingly relevant in the global maritime industry’s decarbonization agenda.
Beyond the technical exchange, the meeting provided a strategic environment for interaction among executives, operators, shipyards, classification societies, and suppliers from the offshore and maritime sectors.
At the end of the presentations, participants gathered for a networking cocktail reception at WSB’s rooftop, closing the event in an atmosphere of integration and professional exchange.
We would like to thank Wärtsilä for trusting our facilities and extend a special greeting to Johnny Kackur, Frank Harteveld, Carlos Mikus, Genil Mazza, Robert Klein, and Mário Barbosa for their contributions to the success of the event.
