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