Petrobras signs contracts for 12 new hybrid PSVs
Written by Nick Blenkey
Contracts for the 12 hybrid PSVs were signed in the presence of (L to R) Deyvid Bacelar,genera coordinator,FUP; Geraldo Alckmin (Vice President of Brazil); Magda Chambriard, president of Petrobras; Ugo Alvarenga Fernandez y Fernandez, executive director, Bram Offshore. [Photo: Petrobras]
Edison Chouest Offshore’s Brazilian affiliate Bram Offshore is one of two companies that will each build and operate six new hybrid PSVs (platform support vessel) under contracts awarded yesterday by Brazilian energy major Petrobras. The other company is Starnav Serviços Marítimos, a subsidiary of Brazil’s Detroit Group.
The contracts were announced Petrobras president Magda Chambriard. Worth a total of BRL16.5 billion (about USD 2.75 billion) they cover the construction and chartering of 12 hybrid PSVs). Of the total value of the contracts, BRL 5.2 billion (about USD 862 million) is earmarked for investments in shipbuilding in Brazil.
According to Chambriard, the modernization of its fleet of support vessels is one of the initiatives in Petrobras’ business plan for the 2025 to 2029 period.
“These new units will not only incorporate the latest technology, but also represent our commitment to sustainable and innovative best practices,” she said. “These are projects that meet the highest environmental, social and governance standards, essential for a sustainable future, in addition to generating around 11,000 direct and indirect jobs.”
The support vessels will have a hybrid propulsion system, which combines electric motors and batteries with diesel/biodiesel generators, in line with Petrobras’ commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The contracts include a period of up to four years for mobilization and 12 years of operation, and include a requirement of 40% local content during the construction phase. The vessels will be built in the winning companies’ own shipyards, located in Santa Catarina, in the cities of Navegantes (Bram) and Itajaí (Starnav). Each company will be responsible for chartering six vessels for Petrobras.
