Nov. 10 – Transpetro launched the third international public tender of the Petrobras System Fleet Renewal and Expansion Program. The new tender calls for the contracting of four new medium-sized vessels of the MR1 (Medium Range) class, with 40,000 gross tonnage (GT), intended for the transport of oil and derivatives along the Brazilian coast.
The tender is available on the Petronect Portal, the bidding will be carried out in a single lot, in which the four vessels will be contracted from the same bidder. The bidding allows the participation of all shipyards that meet the technical, legal and economic criteria of the tender. Interested companies will have 90 days to submit their proposals.
According to the schedule, it is estimated that the first vessel will be launched within 33 months after the formalization of the contract. The new tender will consolidate the contracting of the 16 ships currently planned in Petrobras’ Business Plan for the period 2025-2029.
“The launch of our third tender represents the fulfillment of a strategic goal of the Petrobras System. With the contracting of all the ships foreseen in the holding company’s current Business Plan, we are advancing in the expansion of the fleet operated by Transpetro and reinforcing our role as drivers of the development of the Brazilian shipbuilding industry, providing opportunities for perennial orders to the market,” says the president of Transpetro, Sérgio Bacci.
As with the other tenders in the program, the MR1 ships must incorporate solutions for greater energy efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions, in accordance with the guidelines of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The vessels can be alternatively fueled with biofuels such as ethanol, will be able to operate in electrified ports, and will have modern equipment that contributes to reducing the carbon footprint. Future ships should be up to 20% more fuel-efficient, leading to a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
About the Petrobras System Fleet Renewal and Expansion Program
The Fleet Renewal and Expansion Program was launched in July 2024 and foresees the acquisition of ships for coastal shipping along the Brazilian coast, including Handy-class vessels, gas carriers, and medium-sized ships. The program is aligned with Petrobras’ Business Plan for the period 2025-2029, which foresees the contracting of 16 vessels.
The program aims to strengthen the logistics of the Petrobras System, reduce exposure to freight fluctuations and chartering costs, and provide greater flexibility and efficiency to product movement logistics operations. The initiative is part of the New Growth Acceleration Program (New PAC).
About Transpetro – Operating 48 terminals (27 maritime and 21 land-based), approximately 8,500 kilometers of pipelines and 33 ships, Transpetro is the largest subsidiary of Petrobras and the largest multimodal logistics company for petroleum, derivatives and biofuels in Latin America.
Transpetro provides services to distributors, the petrochemical industry and other companies in the oil and gas sector. The Petrobras subsidiary’s portfolio includes more than 170 clients.
Brazil Energy Insight 
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