Maersk Training Brazil takes double honours at GWO Safety & Training Awards as country gears up for wind build-out

Training Team of the Year and Instructor of the Year wins in Paris bring Maersk Training's total to four GWO awards since the programme launched in 2021.

Natal, Brazil, and Svendborg, Denmark – 26th October 2026 – Maersk Training's Brazil team has been named Training Team of the Year for Latin America at the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) Safety & Training Awards 2026, held in Paris on September 29th, 2026. Instructor Thiago Silva de Almeida, Wind Instructor, was also named Latin America Instructor of the Year, one of two winners after judges scored the region's top nominations equally. It is the team's second Training Team of the Year title, after winning the Americas award at the inaugural ceremony in 2021.

The win came in the most competitive year in the awards' history. GWO received 4,000 nominations from 24 countries, and judges assessed each training centre's full offering, the number of GWO standards it delivers and the volume of training records it holds.

A workforce the wind industry can't build without

The recognition comes as Brazil prepares for its next phase of wind growth. The national wind energy association, ABEEólica, expects 12.5 GW of new wind capacity to be installed between 2026 and 2030, creating demand for around 2,000 new entrants to the industry.

Every one of those technicians needs to be trained to work safely at height, in enclosed spaces and in remote locations before they set foot in a turbine. GWO training is the baseline the industry relies on to make that happen. In 2024 GWO and ABEEólica signed an agreement to align Brazil's safety regulations with these global standards, and in 2025 ABEEólica published a GWO-endorsed guideline on safety and technical training.

Training providers sit at the heart of that pipeline. Without enough high-quality, standardised training capacity, projects slow down, and the people building and maintaining turbines are put at greater risk.

A consistent record of excellence

Maersk Training has been recognised at the GWO Safety & Training Awards in four editions so far:

2021: Training Team of the Year winners for both its Humber (UK) and Brazil teams, plus a High Commendation for Humber

2022: Brazil Highly Commended for Quality of Training

2025: Brazil shortlisted as a Latin America finalist and Highly Commended for “Equipment and Facilities”

2026: Brazil named Training Team of the Year, Latin America, and Thiago Almeida named Latin America Instructor of the Year

A track record of firsts in the region

Maersk Training Brazil opened in Natal, in Northeast Brazil, in 2019, starting with GWO Basic Safety Training (BST). Since then, the team has kept bringing new training to the region:

First training provider in Latin America to offer all GWO Basic Technical Training (BTT) modules, at its fixed facilities and in a mobile training container

First in the Americas to offer all GWO Lift training modules

Most recently, another first with GWO Slinger Signaller (SLS) training

What they said

Bruno Aguiar Thomaz, Managing Director, Brazil, said: "Winning this award for a second time, in the toughest field GWO has ever seen, is a huge tribute to our team. Brazil needs thousands of new wind technicians over the next five years. Our job is to make sure every one of them goes home safely at the end of every shift. This recognition tells our customers that the standard they rely on is being met, and exceeded."

Thiago Silva de Almeida, Wind Instructor, Maersk Training Brazil, said: “Every course I teach is about making sure the technician in front of me has the skills and confidence to come home safely. To be recognised by GWO, alongside my team winning Training Team of the Year, means a great deal to all of us in Brazil."

Jan Matthiesen, Global HSEQ & Compliance Officer, said: "GWO training is where a safe wind workforce begins. Our teams in Brazil, Denmark, the UK and around the world help operators and contractors staff their projects with people who are competent and confident from day one. Being recognised by GWO again shows the consistency we bring to every centre and every course."

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. The GWO Safety & Training Awards recognise training teams and instructors delivering GWO standards worldwide. The 2026 awards, the fifth edition, were presented at the GWO Safety & Training Forum in Paris.

2. 2026 Training Team of the Year regional winners were TIWTC (Asia Pacific), Maersk Training – Brazil (Latin America), TAKKION (North America) and SP-Wind (Europe, Middle East & Africa). Thiago Almeida of Maersk Training Brazil was one of two Latin America Instructor of the Year winners.

3. The Global Wind Organisation (GWO) is a non-profit body founded by wind turbine manufacturers and owners. It sets the training standards used to prepare the global wind workforce.

4. Spokespeople are available for interview in English and Portuguese.

About Maersk Training

Maersk Training, a subsidiary of the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group, is a global provider of training and competence solution, helping organisations improve safety, operational performance, and workforce capability across a range of industries including wind, oil and gas, maritime, and beyond. Maersk H2S Safety Services is a subsidiary of Maersk Training and is a global provider of gas detection and safety services in off- and onshore energy industries.

Media contact

Kayleigh Russell, Brand & Communications Manager, Maersk Training
Kayleigh.russell@maersktraining.com