Brazil’s Petrobras to Commission 48 New Support Vessels

Brazil’s state-controlled oil firm Petrobras plans to commission 48 new support vessels, expanding its original target of 44, CEO Magda Chambriard announced.

The initiative is part of a BRL118bn ($21bn) investment focused on strengthening Brazil’s maritime and offshore sectors. The project is expected to create around 180,000 jobs and includes a mix of platform supply vessels, coastal shipping vessels, tankers, and other support ships, with a strong emphasis on domestic content in their construction.

Chambriard clarified that this investment is a subset of Petrobras’ broader spending and is specifically aimed at boosting Brazil’s industrial base. She underscored the company’s commitment to reindustrialisation, job creation, and advancing local technology within the maritime and offshore value chains.

The fleet expansion aligns with Petrobras’ plans for increased offshore production, particularly at the Búzios field, where output is projected to reach up to 2m bpd by 2030.

Contract bidding for the new vessels is expected to begin before the end of 2026.