BNDES Releases R$2.5Billion for Petrobras Support Vessels Construction and Prepares Naval Industry Study

Sept. 24 (PN) The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) announced this week the release of R$2.5 billion for Starnav Serviços Marítimos to acquire vessels to be built at the Detroit Brasil shipyard in Itajaí, Santa Catarina.

The loan granted to Starnav is equivalent to over 88% of the R$2.9 billion earmarked for the purchase of eight hybrid multipurpose offshore support vessels, four platform supply vessels (PSVs) and four oil spill recovery vessels (OSRVs). All will have a capacity of 5,500 DWT (deadweight tonnage), greater than the company’s current fleet of 4,500 DWT.

During the construction phase, the shipyard is expected to directly employ approximately 1,400 professionals, with an expected generation of approximately 6,300 indirect jobs. After delivery, the vessels will be chartered by Petrobras under 12-year contracts, designed to support offshore oil and gas production. Financing will be provided through resources from the Merchant Marine Fund (FMM), the main incentive instrument for the Brazilian shipbuilding industry.

PSVs are used to transport supplies between offshore drilling or production platforms and onshore bases. OSRVs, in addition to performing similar functions, are equipped to respond to contingency situations related to oil spills.

STRATEGY FOR THE NAVAL INDUSTRY

The BNDES also launched a public selection process to select the executing partner for a technical study on “Opportunities in Decarbonization and Energy Transition for the Restructuring of the Shipbuilding Industry.” The public selection process is available on the BNDES website. With a budget of up to R$8 million from the Project Structuring Fund (BNDES FEP), the survey aims to evaluate the shipbuilding sector and propose a recovery strategy in light of the transition to low- or zero-emission greenhouse gas fuels. The study focuses on identifying opportunities for public policies that favor the recovery of the Brazilian shipbuilding industry, considering national and international experiences, global decarbonization goals, production factors, and the geopolitical situation. Among the key points is the analysis and improvement of public policies, taking as a reference Brazil’s historical trajectory and successful examples from countries such as South Korea and China.