Petrobras announced that FPSO P-78 began production on the last day of 2025. The unit is instlalled in Buzios field at Santos basin. The FPSO has production capacity of 180,000 barrels of oil per day and 7.2 million cubic meters of natural gas per day.
With the start-up of P-78, installed production capacity in Búzios Field increases to approximately 1.15 million barrels of oil per day. In addition, the project enables natural gas exports to mainland Brazil through connection with Rota 3 gas pipeline, expanding domestic gas supply by up to 3 million cubic meters per day.
The FPSO arrived in Brazil in October after sailing from Singapore, is equipped with advanced technologies aimed at reducing emissions and improving operational efficiency. It is the seventh production platform in operation at Búzios Field — the largest in Brazil in terms of reserves — which surpassed 1 million barrels of oil per day in October 2025.
Búzios Field is located approximately 180 kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, in ultra-deep waters of Santos Basin, at water depths exceeding 2,000 meters.
“With this first oil, we are already starting the year making progress toward our main goal for 2026: increasing Petrobras’ oil and gas production. We expect to produce 2.5 million barrels of oil per day throughout the year, with a significant portion coming from Búzios, the country’s largest field in both reserves and production,” said Magda Chambriard, President of Petrobras.
DOF has signed a four-year contract with Petrobras for the vessel Skandi Commander, with operations scheduled to begin in January 2027. The agreement includes deployment of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) alongside the vessel’s Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV), enhancing subsea inspection, survey and intervention capabilities in offshore operations.
The contract adds to ongoing subsea support awards in Brazil, following multiple tenders secured by DOF in 2025 across AHTS, RSV and PIDF segments, cumulatively exceeding USD 2 billion in backlog.
Skandi Commander’s dual ROV-AUV configuration is expected to support inspection and integrity work across Petrobras’ offshore asset base. Mons Aase, CEO of DOF Group ASA, commented on the year’s achievements in Brazil and referenced a significant portion of the company’s fleet on firm contracts extending beyond 2030.
OceanPact has signed a four-year contract with Petrobras, estimated at approximately R$500 million, for the charter of the AHTS vessel Rochedo de São Paulo. The scope of the agreement includes the handling and maintenance of offloading hoses, an activity that is essential to ensuring the continuity, safety, and efficiency of oil transfers between offshore units and shuttle tankers.
In an official statement, the shipowner emphasized that the “signing of the contract strengthens OceanPact’s presence in strategic maritime operations and adds to other important commercial milestones announced throughout 2025.”
In August, the company signed four additional four-year contracts with Petrobras totaling approximately R$3.2 billion for the charter of RSV vessels. The following month, OceanPact announced two further contracts worth more than R$700 million for the provision of marine environmental monitoring services in areas operated by the oil company.
DOF’s recent disclosure regarding the extension of seven contracts with Petrobras in Brazil deserves attention beyond the headline numbers. Not because the extensions themselves are unexpected, but because they illustrate, with unusual clarity, how timing, regulation and industrial legacy interact in the Brazilian offshore support vessel market.
Few executives are as closely connected to the history of this fleet as Paulo Rolim, Board Member and Advisory Services Lead of WSB Advisors. Paulo witnessed — and actively participated in — the construction of most of these vessels in Brazil, across the successive transitions from Promar’s Aker Yards- to STX- and VARD–, where he ultimately served as COO of VARD Brazil. These vessels are not merely assets on a balance sheet; they are the tangible outcome of a long-term commitment by the Norwegian maritime cluster to Brazilian shipbuilding, technology transfer and local capability development.
That legacy matters today.
DOF has now confirmed that the five Brazilian-flagged AHTS vessels with ROVs — Skandi Fluminense, Skandi Paraty, Skandi Angra, Skandi Urca and Skandi Iguaçu — will see their existing contracts extended to Q1 2027, while the new four-year contracts signed in 2025 will commence only thereafter, running to 2031. A similar logic applies to the RSVs Skandi Chieftain and Skandi Olympia, whose current contracts are extended through 2026, deferring the start of their new four-year charters to 2027.
Skandi Angra (Source: DOF Subsea)
From Petrobras’ perspective, this is a rational and economically disciplined outcome. By extending current contracts and postponing the start of new ones negotiated at higher forward rates, Petrobras effectively locks in short-term cost savings, while maintaining uninterrupted access to a fleet that is already proven, compliant and operationally embedded in Brazil. In a market where day rates are structurally improving from the owners’ standpoint, time becomes a valuable negotiating instrument.
From DOF’s standpoint, the trade-off is equally clear. While the deferment delays the uplift in revenues associated with new contracts, it strengthens backlog visibility, adds more than USD 160 million in contracted value, and preserves fleet utilization in one of the company’s most strategically important regions. Balance sheet stability and long-term employment often justify moderation in near-term upside.
There is, however, a deeper structural layer. The AHTSs were built in Brazil, under Brazilian industrial policy frameworks that still shape today’s regulatory environment, and support the re-flag of foreign built tonnage. Whether by commercial preference or regulatory constraint, Brazilian-built and Brazilian-flagged assets retain a privileged — and in some cases unavoidable — position in Petrobras’ fleet planning. This reality reinforces the long-term value of earlier industrial investments, even when market cycles turn. Precisely the vision developed and delivered to DOF by a good friend of ours: Hans Falnes Ellingsen.
In this sense, the announcement is less about extensions and more about the strategic management of time. Petrobras secures operational continuity and postpones cost escalation. DOF extends backlog duration and mitigates risk. And Brazil’s offshore market once again demonstrates that vessels with deep local roots tend to remain relevant far longer than their steel alone would suggest.
At WSB Advisors, we view this episode as a reminder that in Brazil, industrial history, regulation and commercial strategy are inseparable — and that understanding their interaction is often more valuable than simply reading the headline.
Delivered in 2003 by Estaleiro Promar, in Niterói (RJ), Milan Tide was built for Tidewater alongside her sister vessel Danko Tide. Designed to the UT 755L PSV platform, the vessel entered service in Brazil during a period of strong offshore activity, operating successfully and reliably for many years as part of Tidewater’s fleet.
Following her sale to Astromarítima Navegação S.A. – Em Recuperação Judicial, the vessel continued operating for a limited number of charterers under the name Astro CMT Matos. As Astromarítima’s business deteriorated, the unit eventually left active service, joining the long list of Brazilian offshore assets awaiting a clearer future.
That inflection point came in 2025, when the vessel was acquired by Seastar Brasil Serviços Marítimos Ltda. In a decisive move, Seastar committed to a full-term docking and refurbishment program at DockBrasil Shipyard, widely regarded as one of the most capable docking facilities in Brazil. The scope included hull works, machinery overhauls, systems upgrades and full class reinstatement. Now renamed Seastar Virtus, the vessel has been delivered and, following final inspections and registration, is set to return to active service.
The outcome is a rare but important one in the offshore market: a well-built PSV brought back to life through capital discipline, technical rigor and long-term vision.
Kudos to Seastar for the initiative — and for returning the reliable Milan Tide to operational relevance.
BW Energy has formalised conversion of a short-term lease for Super Gorilla class jack-up rig BW Maromba B into a long-term project lease agreement with Minsheng Financial Leasing Co. Ltd. (MSFL), covering the rig purchase and all costs required to prepare the unit for drilling and production readiness in support of the Maromba field development offshore Brazil.
The lease arrangement, representing USD 274 million of previously communicated Maromba capital expenditure, provides an efficient financing structure for the project’s development phase, followed by a ten-year lease term. Lease obligations will commence upon first oil, with no payments due before that point, and the agreement features a fixed daily rate of USD 120,500, delivering cost visibility throughout the lease period. 
BW Maromba B, currently en route from Singapore to Dubai, is scheduled to arrive before year-end for refurbishment and conversion into a fully integrated drilling and production platform. The unit’s recent drilling activity in Australia supports an efficient upgrade and refurbishment programme. Upon completion, the platform will be mobilised to Brazil to begin drilling and completion work under the phased field development plan for Maromba.
BW Energy CFO Thomas Young said the lease agreement strengthens financial discipline and reflects a strong partnership with MSFL, enabling cost-efficient execution of the Maromba development.
Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.
Transpetro opens commercial bids for barges acquisition
As 2025 approaches its final stretch, Transpetro has opened commercial bids under public tender covering acquisition of barges, part of broader process that also includes pusher vessels. Results refer exclusively to opening of price proposals, with full list of bidders disclosed in official documentation.
The tender covers 18 barges, of which ten units are designed for 3,000 DWT and eight units for 2,000 DWT. According to Transpetro, the new acquisitions are expected to significantly expand its operational capacity in transportation of oil products and biofuels in Brazil.
Commercial proposals for barges were submitted across three lots. In Lot A, bids were presented by Navemestra Serviços de Navegação, IFM Construções e Montagens Industriais, Bertolini Construção Naval da Amazônia, Eram Estaleiro Rio Amazonas and Tropheus Montacon. In Lot B, proposals came from Navemestra, Bertolini, IFM, Eram and Tropheus Montacon. Lot C attracted bids from Bertolini, IFM, Eram, INC – Indústria Naval Catarinense, Navemestra, Tropheus Montacon and Fincantieri do Brasil.
At this stage, results reflect commercial ranking only. Transpetro’s bid committee will now proceed with negotiation phase, followed by qualification review, including legal, economic and technical documentation, as well as exequibility analysis of submitted prices, prior to final homologation.
Transpetro releases tender result for pusher barges construction
Transpetro has released tender result for public bidding process 7004521370, aimed at contracting shipyards for construction of pusher barges to support operations across different regions in Brazil.
Lot 4, covering construction of six pushers with planned operations in Ilha D’Água (RJ) and Belém (PA), attracted bids from seven Brazilian shipyards. INC – Indústria Naval Catarinense submitted lowest offer, totaling BRL 108.9 million, ranking first in this lot. Other bidders included Estaleiro Bibi, Ecovix, Bertolini, Inace, Eram, and Belov, with higher price levels.
Lot 5, also involving six pushers, with operations focused on Santos (SP), received proposals from six competitors. Once again, INC – Indústria Naval Catarinense presented lowest bid at BRL 108.9 million, followed by IFM, Ecovix, Inace, Eram, and Fincantieri do Brasil.
Next steps include final qualification review, exequibility analysis of submitted prices, and potential appeal phases, prior to formal award and contract execution.
Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.
Petrobras has launched a tender for the sale of platforms P-19 and P-26, both scheduled for decommissioning, with bid submissions expected in February 2026. The units represent a combined volume of approximately 40,000 tonnes of steel. P-26 is currently located at Port of Açu, while P-19 remains moored at Marlim Field, Campos Basin.
The tender introduces more flexible dismantling conditions compared to previous projects, allowing recycling activities to be carried out on impermeable ground rather than exclusively in dry dock. It also permits berthing of the units and execution of pre-dismantling works, signaling a more pragmatic approach to decommissioning logistics and potentially broadening participation from recycling yards and service providers.
Shell Brasil, representing the ORCA INVESTMENT CONSORTIUM with Ecopetrol (30%), TotalEnergies (20%) and PPSA (Pré-Sal Petróleo S/A), signed a long-term contract with Valaris Limited for deployment of drillship VALARIS DS-8 in offshore Brazil, valued at approximately US$300 million. Operations are expected to start in early 2027, with an initial term of about 800 days and extension options that could add up to one more year.
The drillship will support drilling and completion activities for Orca (formerly Gato do Mato), a deepwater development in Brazilian waters. The contract also covers subsea intervention work in Parque das Conchas (BC-10) and decommissioning activities in Bijupirá and Salema, assets operated by Shell. Optional scope includes exploratory drilling.
VALARIS DS-8 is one of the most advanced deepwater units in operation, with capacity for ultradeepwater activities up to 10,000 feet.
Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.
In the upcoming and final 2025 edition of One Energy Magazine, you’ll find an exclusive interview with Ronaldo Lima, Senior Advisor at WSB Advisors. Drawing on nearly 45 years of experience in energy, he discusses sensitive points in maritime regulation and shares his perspective on Brazil’s energy transition.
The edition also takes a deep dive into the WSB-One Database, the most comprehensive data source on naval and offshore markets. We also introduce Westhon House in Teresópolis (RJ), along with significant changes across our squad.
And, as always, the magazine closes with market updates, with a special focus on naval transactions.
This edition also brings:
BRS Robótica Submarina demonstrates advanced underwater robotics in a subsea cable protection exercise.
Launched in 1987 at Estaleiro Ilha S.A. (EISA), Astro Parati and Astro Garoupa belong to an early generation of Brazilian-built offshore support vessels. With steel hulls of approximately 66 meters, they once operated in a period when Brazil’s offshore industry was still consolidating its logistics, regulatory frameworks and governance standards.
Over the decades, the evolution of market cycles, combined with prolonged inactivity and weak asset stewardship, left a visible mark on both vessels. Their current condition reflects how unmanaged lay-up and the absence of structured governance can lead to irreversible outcomes for offshore assets.
Today, both vessels remain at Ilha do Governador, at the former EISA yard where they were built. They are no longer operational assets, but deteriorated hulls in an advanced state of decay. Publicly available imagery and technical observations indicate extensive corrosion, perforated steel plating and compromised watertight integrity — conditions consistent with many years of unmanaged lay-up and absence of preservation measures.
An auction process was, in fact, initiated and formally carried forward, with reference values reportedly around BRL 700,000 per unit. However, the process was not concluded, reflecting limited market appetite and the technical reality of the assets. While the vessels remain formally recorded in public registries — including ANTAQ and the Tribunal Marítimo — their operational certificates expired long ago and were never renewed. For many years, they have lacked valid class, statutory certification and authorization for commercial service.
This regulatory limbo does not equate to neutrality. The prolonged state of abandonment, combined with their physical condition, raises legitimate concerns not only regarding asset integrity but also potential environmental exposure. Aging hulls, left without oversight in a sensitive coastal area, represent a risk that extends beyond balance sheets and ownership records.
Astro Parati and Astro Garoupa thus stand as physical reminders of how governance gaps, shipyard insolvency and years of inaction can converge into a single outcome: vessels that remain present in form, yet long absent from Brazil’s offshore fleet in substance.
Every Thursday, a new “Por onde anda?” — stay tuned.
