Petrobras, Transpetro Sign R$2.8 Billion Fleet-Building Contracts Under Mar Aberto

Overview

• Petrobras and Transpetro formally signed R$2.8 billion in orders for five gas carriers, 18 barges and 18 pushers to be built at Estaleiro Rio Grande (RS), Bertolini in Manaus (AM) and Indústria Naval Catarinense (SC).
• All vessels will be operated by Transpetro, lifting its gas-carrier fleet from six to 14 and effectively tripling current GLP transport capacity while marking the company’s entry into inland navigation serving hubs such as Belém, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Paranaguá and Rio Grande.
• The new gas carriers are described as up to 20% more energy‑efficient with roughly 30% lower greenhouse emissions, with the first delivery targeted for 33 months after construction start and subsequent deliveries every six months.
• Government and company statements project more than 9,000 direct and indirect jobs, with the orders folded into the broader Mar Aberto program that Petrobras estimates at about US$6 billion through 2030 for fleet renewal, cabotage builds and additional support-vessel charters.
• Petrobras also confirmed a R$6 billion plan to convert the Riograndense refinery into a biorrefinery starting in the second half of 2026, while BNDES approved R$1.981 billion to finance six hybrid offshore support vessels to be built in Santa Catarina and chartered by Petrobras for 12 years.