Launched in 2006 and 2007 respectively at Estaleiro Ilha S.A. (EISA), in Rio de Janeiro, the Platform Supply Vessels UP Topazio and UP Diamante represent a mature phase of Brazil’s offshore support vessel construction cycle, when local shipyards were delivering standardized PSVs to meet the rapid expansion of offshore logistics demand.
Built as mid-size Offshore Support Vessels, both units share similar dimensions, with approximately 84.6 meters in length, 16.6 meters of beam and deadweight close to 4,200–4,300 tonnes. Designed for cargo transport, fluid handling and general offshore support, they were conceived to operate across Brazil’s offshore basins during a period of high fleet utilization.
Registered under Brazilian flag and delivered to UP Offshore Apoio Marítimo, the vessels became part of a generation of PSVs that formed backbone of offshore logistics during 2000s and early 2010s. Like many assets of the same vintage, their operational trajectories were directly affected by sharp contraction of Brazilian offshore market after 2015, when contract terminations and vessel oversupply reshaped fleet dynamics. In this context, UP Offshore underwent a corporate reorganization, culminating in May 2021, when OceanPact concluded the acquisition of UP Offshore’s operations and legacy assets, through a corporate succession process rather than a direct vessel-by-vessel acquisition.
From an operational standpoint, public tracking data points to a gradual exit from active service. UP Topazio still showed port-related activity in Itajaí, Santa Catarina, throughout 2024, indicating residual movements or repositioning before entering lay-up. Since then, no public AIS transmissions have been recorded. UP Diamante presents an even longer period of inactivity, with its last publicly available AIS signal dating back to June 2017, when the vessel was recorded in Rio de Janeiro.
Today, both UP Topazio and UP Diamante are understood to be in lay-up, with no publicly visible signs of active offshore operations. Their trajectories reflect a broader reality of Brazil’s offshore support fleet, where technically viable vessels remain sidelined, awaiting either reactivation, repurposing or definitive retirement.
Are they deteriorating quietly — or simply waiting?
There are no public records indicating flooding, leaks, loss of propulsion or major technical incidents during their operational lives. At the same time, there are no visible signals of reactivation planning, sale processes or dismantling intentions. Curiously, both units still appear listed within OceanPact’s fleet on its corporate website, as if commercially available — a detail that contrasts with their prolonged operational silence. In absence of disclosures, silence itself becomes part of the story.
As offshore activity selectively resumes and fleet availability tightens, the question remains — could these assets still find a path back into operation, or do they mark the closing chapter of a generation shaped by a very different market cycle?
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