Rodrigo Viga Gaier – 18 Apr 2024 – 17h04
Transpetro, the transportation and logistics subsidiary of Petrobras, expects to launch a tender by May for the contracting of four large vessels to meet the demands of the oil company, with 100% of the construction to be done in Brazil, CEO Sérgio Bacci said on Thursday.
The expectation is that the bidding process and contract signing will occur by the end of this year, with the delivery of the first vessel by the end of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s term.
“We are waiting for Petrobras to approve within its governance to launch the tender,” Bacci told Reuters on the sidelines of an event hosted by the Brazilian Petroleum Institute (IBP).
Bacci mentioned that the federal government is working to revive the Brazilian naval industry, but he noted that despite efforts, he does not believe a full recovery to previous levels will be possible during Lula’s third term.
As examples of progress, Bacci cited new orders for ships to be contracted by Petrobras and Transpetro itself, as well as contracts for the integration of platform modules and others.
“It’s the beginning of a recovery, but we cannot expect to reach the same numbers we achieved in those eight years during the remaining two or three years of Lula’s government,” Bacci pointed out.
In recent years, the Brazilian naval industry has significantly declined, making a rapid recovery challenging, according to the executive.
During President Lula’s first two terms, various measures were implemented to promote the naval sector, strengthening national shipyards and government programs that encouraged local production of goods and services.
The industry was impacted by the Lava Jato operation, as some shipyards were involved in the corruption scandal. Subsequently, in earlier governments, there was a reduction in government support.
“The naval industry has been President Lula’s flagship since 2003; it’s not something new… We built a lot in the first and second terms,” Bacci told Reuters, emphasizing that now “our naval industry has been dismantled, and now we will rebuild.”
On Thursday, Petrobras President Jean Paul Prates stated at an IBP event that he has been presenting ideas to the government to stimulate the naval sector. He mentioned that a new, broader, and more sophisticated government program to incentivize the industry is expected to be launched by the end of the first semester.
The state-owned company plans to contract 38 offshore support vessels over the coming years, representing a $2.5 billion investment portfolio and the potential to create 28,000 direct jobs.
This year, tenders for 31 vessels are expected to be launched, with the remaining vessels in 2025.
Source: Terra.com / Br8
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