The U.S. Tidewater, which has a fleet of 213 Offshore Support Vessel, has entered into a binding agreement to buy for total of approximately 500 million dollars the entire share capital by Brazil's Wilson Sons Ultratug Participações S.A. (WSUT) and its subsidiary Atlantic Offshore Services S.A. which they have a fleet of 22 Platform Supply Vessels. Wilson Sons Ultratug Participações is the equal joint venture made up of the Brazilian Wilson, Sons and the Chilean Ultratug of the Ultramar Group ( of 8 October 2009).

With the acquisition, Tidewater's fleet currently employed in Brazil will rise from six to 28 units. "The Brazilian offshore vessel market - commented the Chairman and CEO of the American group, Quintin Kneen - is one of the largest and most interesting in the world and the contribution of the WSUT to the Tidewater fleet will strengthen our presence in the country". Kneen specified that Tidewater believes that the long-term fundamentals of the offshore market Brazilian "are extremely favorable. WSUT - noted - represents a unique opportunity to enter overwhelmingly in Brazil with a fleet built for almost 90% in Brazil.