Story

  • 1972

    It was in the early 70’s, after several years working in Portugal through local agents, that Charles M. Willie (Cardiff), based on sector development and growing business volume, decided to create Willie Portuguesa – Navegação, Lda., aiming to coordinate and develop business in the country and with an autonomy that led to the expansion of the activity to all Portuguese continental ports. Still early within the decade, it was decided to extend this structure to the Port of Aveiro, where it was already carrying out its activity through a local Agent, initiating then activity in its own name.

  • 1980

    The years of consolidation. Initially mainly dedicated to the export of wood pulp, an activity already existing in Aveiro, the Company quickly started in a regular and expansive way with traffic/stowage for the export of sawn and palletized timber, making a decisive contribution to the region full potential development in that sector as well as the Company itself.

    The moto printed by the Founder of the Company “from dolls eyes to elephants” which, as a matter of speech, was the way of announcing the possibility of transporting everything that was hired.

    With a parallel range of Port Operators in the port of Aveiro, the Company is proud to have operated most of the commodities normally handled in this port, through efficient and even innovative processes that lead to maintain a place of considerable relevance and trust near shippers and other users of the commercial sector in this port.

    Therefore, the Company’s added value played an important role in the growth of numerous local industries, namely in Beiras Interiores (inner country), combining the rapid development of national infrastructures with the possibility of fast shipping their products and thus justifying the various investments made on the coast, especially in port structures and road network.

  • 2001

    Willie Iberica opens in Bilbao as a result of the need to respond to a rapidly expanding Spanish region.

  • 2010

    On the 4th of March 2010, a Thursday, the first composition of rail wagons circulated on the railway line that connects the port of Aveiro to the Multimodal Platform of Cacia/Linha do Norte. It was an experimental trip, part of the rigorous program of preparation for the definitive start-up of the railway branch.

    This first train, with 20 wagons, 220m in length, 740 tonnes of gross weight, transported Bleached Kraft Pulp from Altri’s Celtejo Factory, in Vila Velha de Ródão.

    On the 11th and 12th of March 2010, the ship CELTIC CARRIER, managed by Willie Portuguesa, loaded a total of 3218 tons of wood pulp destined to the port of Livorno in Italy, from which 483,711 tons came from this railway operation, the 1st ever in the port of Aveiro.

  • 2011

    Based on a commercial strategy of consolidation, Willie Portuguesa gave way to TMW Shipping, SA, now based in Aveiro, having established partnerships, namely with Multi Marine Services, a member of the Conti7 group, and with Willie Group, allowing it to represent their interests in Portugal on their regular calls to and from UK and Mediterranean ports.

    The several decades of accumulated experience as well as strong strategic partnerships, allow TMW Shipping SA to carry out its activity in almost all seaports in Portugal, in order to maintain both -shippers and owners- with a service of excellence in their logistic chains.

The TMW Shipping Story

1972…

We come a long way.

It was in the early 70s, after several years working in Portugal through local agents, that Willie (Cardiff) in view of the development in the sector and the growing volume of business, decided to create the then Willie Portuguesa – Navegação, Lda. aiming to coordinate and develop business in the country and with an autonomy that led to the expansion of the activity to all Portuguese continental ports.

At the beginning of the 70’s, it was decided to extend its structure to the Port of Aveiro, where it also developed its activity through an Agent. It was time to find in the commercial sector a whole structure in search of expansion, lacking in some sectors, inadequate in others, but generally trying to fulfill its function.

Initially dedicated to the export of paper pulp, an activity that already existed in that port, the Company quickly started in a regular and expansive way the traffic/stowage for the export of sawn and palletized wood, contributing in a decisive way to the development of all the potential of the region in this sector as well as the Company itself, which has also been dedicated for many years to the maritime transport of these and other general cargoes, to and from any part of the world, but with a special predominance in the United Kingdom, as one could guess from the motto printed by the Founder of Company “from eyedolls to elephants” which, pass the expression, was a way of announcing the possibility of transporting everything that was hired.

With a parallel range of Port Operators in the port of Aveiro, the Company is proud to have operated most of the commodities normally handled in this port, through efficient and even innovative processes that lead to maintain a place of considerable relevance and trust near shippers and other users of the commercial sector in this port. Therefore, the Company’s added value played an important role in the growth of numerous local industries, namely in Beiras Interiores (inner country), combining the rapid development of national infrastructures with the possibility of fast shipping their products and thus justifying the various investments made on the coast, especially in port structures and road network.

In March 2001, Willie Iberica opens in Bilbao, as a result of the need to respond to a Spanish region in full expansion.

Over the years, this Company has been directly or indirectly linked to several milestones that are now part of Porto’s history.

Not being able to mention them all, we highlight the 4th of March 2010 which will be registered as one of the “big” days of the Port of Aveiro.

In fact, it was on the 4th of March 2010, a Thursday, that the first composition of wagons on the railway line that connects the Port of Aveiro to the Cacia/North Line Multimodal Platform circulated. It was an experimental trip, part of the rigorous program of preparation for the definitive start-up of the railway branch.

This first train, with 20 wagons, 220m in length, 740 tonnes of gross weight, transported Bleached Kraft Pulp from Altri’s Celtejo Factory, in Vila Velha de Ródão.

On the 11th and 12th of March 2010, the ship CELTIC CARRIER, managed by the then Willie Portuguesa, loaded a total of 3218 tons of paper pulp destined for the port of Livorno in Italy, of which 483,711 tons came from this railway operation, the 1st ever in the port of Aveiro!

The rail operator was CP CARGA, the client was Grupo Altri, the port operator was Socarpor and the shipping line Willie Lines by Chas. M. Willie (Shipping) – Cardiff.

In 2011, based on a commercial strategy of building TMW Shipping, TMW Shipping, now based in Aveiro, having this partnership, namely with Multi Marine Services, a member of the Conti7 group and with the Willie Group, representing their interests in Portugal on its regular calls to and from UK and Mediterranean ports.

The several decades of accumulated experience, as well as strong strategic partnerships, allow TMW Shipping to carry out its activity in almost all sea ports in Portugal, in order to maintain both -customers and representatives- with an excellent service in their logistics chains.

To be much more than a simple shipping agent, to be a business partner you can trust is, in short, TMW Shipping, SA

TMW Shipping, SA provides a wide range of ship agency and representation services, with a primary focus on full ship servicing. We represent foreign buyers and charterers, ship owners and operators, exporters and importers as well as all parties that may be contracted by a ship.

We have well-established and independent working relationships with all ports and terminals, stevedores, public entities and suppliers on the seafront of the ports we serve, which allows us to make quick and more economical turn- arounds.

We understand the importance of strong communication and accessibility in order to sustain the continuous flow of information and contact with all contracted parties.