As reported by WSB Advisors, Petrobras and Transpetro – Petrobras Transporte S. A. held a contract-signing ceremony in Rio Grande (RS) on 20 January for the construction of 41 vessels under the “Mar Aberto” (Open Sea) program, totaling investments of approximately R$ 2.8 billion. The event was attended by Petrobras CEO Magda Chambriard, Transpetro CEO Sérgio Bacci, federal authorities and political representatives, becoming one of the main highlights of Brazil’s oil and gas market this week.
The package includes five gas carriers, 18 pushboats and 18 barges, all to be operated by Transpetro. The vessels will be built across three Brazilian states, reinforcing domestic shipbuilding capacity. In Rio Grande do Sul, Estaleiro Rio Grande S.A. will construct the five LPG carriers, which represent the largest share of the investment. In Amazonas, Bertolini Construção Naval. da Amazônia will build the 18 barges, while in Santa Catarina, INC – Indústria Naval Catarinense will be responsible for the 18 pushboats.
The new contracts mark the start of a new investment cycle in fleet renewal and shipbuilding, strengthening local content policies and supporting the recovery of Brazil’s naval production chain. With the inclusion of barges and pushboats, Transpetro will also enter inland fuel transportation with its own fleet, verticalizing bunkering operations and expanding logistical flexibility.
The contracts rank among the most significant shipbuilding investments in Brazil in recent years, with direct impacts on shipyard reactivation, job creation and the domestic supply chain for goods and services. Despite adjustments in Petrobras’ medium-term investment outlook, the signing confirms continuity of industrial orders aligned with logistics, energy security and fleet modernization objectives.
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