Brazil's Transpetro Announces Tender Win for New Coastal Vessels

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Brazil's Transpetro, a unit of state-run oil firm Petrobras, announced on Monday that local shipbuilding firms Ecovix and Mac Laren have won a tender to build four new coastal vessels for $69.5 million per vessel.

Why It's Important

The bid marks the first step in Petrobras' plan to renew its fleet of support vessels and represents a victory for the Brazilian government as it aims to revitalize the country's shipbuilding sector.

Key Quote

"It is a milestone for our management to resume the acquisition of ships in Brazil after 10 years without contracting vessels to expand the fleet," said Transpetro Chief Executive Sergio Bacci in a statement.

Context

The four 'handy' class vessels will have a capacity of 15,000 to 18,000 deadweight tonnage. They are part of a plan to commission 25 new ships, with 16 already listed in Petrobras' strategic plan for the 2025-2029 period.

What's Next

Transpetro announced it will launch a second tender in January for eight pressurized and semi-refrigerated gas tankers.