Our history

1961

Sud Americana Agencias Aéreas y Marítimas S.A. (SAAM) was founded in the port of Valparaíso

1962

Construction of SAAM’s first tugboat: the Mataquito

1976

SAAM became the first company to provide full service for bulk import cargo

1980

Began servicing cargo aircraft through Aerosan

1989

Opened a Bonded Warehouse, which was authorized as primary customs zone

1992

Began operating in Colombia through Elequip and Equimac and in Peru through Trabajos Marítimos S.A. – Tramarsa

1993

Reloncaví, based in Puerto Montt, began operations specializing in receiving and shipping native wood chips

1994

Entered the Uruguayan market with Kios, a tugboat service company

1995

Began operating in Ecuador through Ecuaestibas

1996

Entered the Mexican market with SAAM Remolques S.A.

1999

Awarded the concession and began operating at San Antonio Terminal Internacional (STI) and San Vicente Terminal Internacional (SVTI) port terminals

2000

Awarded the Iquique Terminal Internacional (ITI) concession

2002

Portuaria Corral became part of the company

2003

Won the bid for Berth 2 at the Antofagasta Terminal Internacional (ATI)

2004

Won the Terminal Portuaria de Arica (TPA) bid

2005

Entered the Brazilian market with TugBrasil

Began operating in Port Everglades through subsidiary Florida International Terminal (FIT)

2006

Operations began at Terminal Portuario Guayaquil (TPG)

Operations began in Guatemala and Costa Rica

2011

SAAM celebrated its 50th anniversary

2012

Sociedad Matriz SAAM was born as a spin-off of Sud Americana de Vapores S.A. (CSAV)

Operations began at port terminals in Mexico (TMAZ) and Colombia (PBV)

2013

SAAM reorganized into three business divisions: Port Terminals, Towage and Logistics

2014

SAAM SMIT Towage, a joint venture for joint operations with Boskalis in Canada, Mexico, Panama and Brazil, was born. The new company entered two new markets

2015

Through Tramarsa S.A., SAAM acquired an ownership interest in Terminal Internacional del Sur (Tisur) in Peru

2016

First listing on the Dow Jones Sustainability Chile Index (DJSI Chile)

2017

Acquisition of 51% of Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica Purchased remaining 15% interest in ITI to control 100% of the company

Expansion and modernization at TPG doubled its transfer capacity. Sold minority interest in Tramarsa, Peru

2018

Acquired 15% of Iquique Terminal Internacional (ITI) to control 100% of the company

Launched a new operating model

First listing on the Dow Jones Sustainability MILA Index (DJSI MILA)

New reefer container yard at Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica

Acquisition of the remaining 50% interest in Aerosan Colombia

2019

Purchase and integration of joint operations with Boskalis in Brazil, Mexico, Panama and Canada

Operations began under a common brand name—Aerosan—in Colombia, Ecuador and Chile

2020

Purchased remaining 50% interest in Aerosan from American Airlines

Placed corporate bonds for a total of US$92.6 million

Signed agreement to extend the STI concession until 2030

2021

Purchased 70% interest in Intertug

SAAM Towage began operating in Peru

Launched SAAM Towage operations in El Salvador

SAAM’s 60th Anniversary

Intertug and Aerosan joined SM SAAM’s operating model

Controlling group ownership of SM SAAM increased from 52.2% to 59.7%

Towage Division began operations in Peru and El Salvador

2022

Binding agreement with the German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd AG for the sale of 100% of the shares and assets of SAAM Ports and SAAM Logistics

Agreement with Starnav for the acquisition of 21 tugs to operate in Brazil

Agreement with Teck and Neptune Terminals for construction of the first two 100% electric tugs in the SAAM Towage fleet

Acquisition of Ian Taylor towage operations in Peru

Acquisition of the towage operations of Standard Towing and Davies Tugboats in Canada