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  • Constellation starts operations of jack-up ADMarine 511 for Petrobras P&A campaign

    Constellation starts operations of jack-up ADMarine 511 for Petrobras P&A campaign

    Constellation Oil Services has started operations of the jack-up rig ADMarine 511, under contract with Petrobras for a plug & abandonment (P&A) campaign in Sergipe, Alagoas, Ceará and Potiguar basins. Announced on March 31, 2025, the US$ 170 million contract covers the rig’s mobilization from Bahrain and a firm term of 1,143 days, with extension options. The three-leg cantilever unit, model MSC CJ46-X100D, underwent inspections and upgrades in Brazil to meet local regulatory requirements before commencing operations.

    The campaign focuses on well P&A activities linked to fixed structures in shallow waters — a segment expanding in Brazil as decommissioning programs progress. ADMarine 511, capable of operating up to 375 feet (114 meters) deep, completed classification surveys and technical modifications at Estaleiro Atlântico Sul before deployment. Constellation highlighted the project’s contribution to local employment and compliance with Brazilian safety standards.

    The contract reinforces the participation of international operators in Brazil’s P&A segment and signals Petrobras’s intention to accelerate decommissioning activities in shallow-water areas. For suppliers and local yards, the campaign opens demand opportunities for mobilization, inspection, and compliance services.

    Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.

  • FPSO P-79 departs South Korea bound for Brazil; startup expected in 2026

    FPSO P-79 departs South Korea bound for Brazil; startup expected in 2026

    Petrobras FPSO P-79 departed from Hanwha Ocean shipyard in Geoje, South Korea, on November 11, 2025, heading to Búzios field (Santos Basin), where it will operate as “Búzios-8” unit. Designed to produce 180,000 barrels of oil per day and process 7.2 million m³/day of associated gas, the unit is expected to begin operations in early 2026. Petrobras also obtained environmental licenses authorizing an additional 20,000 bpd production capacity at Búzios.

    P-79 mobilization marks another milestone in Petrobras’s large-scale expansion of pre-salt production capacity in Santos Basin, where multiple FPSOs are under construction or commissioning. The voyage will be carried out with crew on board to speed up the integration and commissioning schedule, once the unit arrives in Brazil.

    The FPSO’s arrival and commissioning phases will define the startup timeline for Búzios-8. Industry forecasts to further consolidate Búzios as one of the world’s largest deepwater oil-producing fields.

    Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.

  • MODEC awards TMC Compressors contract for FPSO Gato do Mato air system

    MODEC awards TMC Compressors contract for FPSO Gato do Mato air system

    MODEC has awarded TMC Compressors a contract to supply a large-capacity marine compressed air system for FPSO Gato do Mato, which will operate offshore Brazil in approximately 2,000 meters of water depth. The award, announced this week, covers a system designed for high reliability and low maintenance requirements to support continuous offshore operations. FPSO Gato do Mato is expected to produce around 120,000 barrels of oil per day and is being developed by Shell (50%), Ecopetrol (30%), and TotalEnergies (20%).


    Marine compressed air systems are essential for instrumentation, control, and safety tools onboard. In ultra-deepwater operations, reliability and ease of maintenance are critical to reduce downtime and logistical costs. TMC emphasized its track record of supplying similar systems for MODEC’s FPSO fleet.


    The award strengthens the supply chain for Gato do Mato FPSO project, which remains in the equipment procurement and topside integration phase. Delivery, testing, and integration milestones will be the key for unit’s commissioning schedule.

    Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.

  • Porto Sudeste handles VLCC VL Prime, the largest vessel ever operated at the terminal

    Porto Sudeste handles VLCC VL Prime, the largest vessel ever operated at the terminal

    Porto Sudeste, a port located in Itaguaí (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), reached a logistics milestone on November 5, 2025, by handling VL Prime, a VLCC with capacity of about 2 million barrels (~320,000 tonnes), marking the largest vessel ever operated at the terminal. VL Prime arrived in ballast from Luoyang County, China, and was loaded with 1 million barrels of Mero crude via ship-to-ship (STS) transfer from M/T Eagle Campos, and then proceeded to Port of Santos for additional loading before topping up at Porto do Açu alongside another Suezmax tanker en route to Rotterdam.

    Operating a VLCC reinforces the port’s capacity to handle large-scale crude shipments, reducing transport costs and improving logistical efficiency for Brazil’s pre-salt exports. STS operation and sequential port calls (Santos and Açu) highlight growing coordination between terminals and shipping operators to optimize export logistics to European markets.

    Such large-scale operations demand strict adherence to safety and environmental protocols, as well as close coordination with maritime authorities and insurers. The milestone underscores Brazil’s expanding capability to accommodate VLCCs and enhance competitiveness in the global crude export chain.

    Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.

  • New legislation boosts Brazil’s shipbuilding and offshore industries

    New legislation boosts Brazil’s shipbuilding and offshore industries

    Romulo A. Bacchiega

    Law 15.075/2024 and Decree 12.362/2025 create a favorable environment for investment, job generation and the strengthening of Brazil’s maritime industrial base.

    Rio de Janeiro, November 2025 — The recent enactment of Law 15.075/2024 and the publication of Decree 12.362/2025 mark a new chapter for Brazil’s shipbuilding and offshore sectors. Together, they introduce mechanisms to stimulate local production, expand fiscal incentives and enhance regulatory predictability — factors regarded as essential to rebuilding industrial capacity, restoring shipyard activity and reinforcing the national supply chain.

    Law 15.075/2024 amends provisions of the Petroleum Law (9.478/1997) and defines new parameters for valuing local content in oil and gas projects. Among its key innovations is the transferability of local-content surpluses between contracts, effectively creating a market for “local-content credits.” The law also extends tax incentives for vessels built in Brazilian shipyards, including accelerated depreciation for ships operating in cabotage and offshore support, aimed at enhancing competitiveness and stimulating new construction orders.

    Decree 12.362/2025 complements the law by allowing royalty reductions of up to 5 percent in Round Zero contracts, provided that operators reinvest in initiatives tied to local content. The measure is designed to encourage revitalization of mature fields, foster reinvestment in domestic production chains, and attract new suppliers to the sector.

    According to Paulo Rolim, Advisory Services Lead at WSB Advisors, while the new framework creates short-term opportunities for shipyards and suppliers, its most impactful mechanisms remain temporary. “Accelerated depreciation, for example, is not a permanent State policy for shipbuilding but rather a transitional measure applicable only to contracts signed until the end of 2026,” he notes. Rolim adds that the long-term resilience of Brazil’s shipbuilding sector will depend on consistent legal instruments such as the Cabotage Law (9.432/1997) and the frameworks governing AFRMM and FMM, both regarded as true State policies that underpin industrial continuity.

    Despite these limitations, the combination of Law 15.075/2024 and Decree 12.362/2025 demonstrates Brazil’s renewed commitment to strengthening its domestic production and technological base, while improving the overall attractiveness of offshore and maritime investment. The initiative signals progress toward a more balanced environment — one that values national content without compromising global competitiveness and efficiency.

    This regulatory advance also aligns with broader trends in global energy transition, where nations seek to consolidate local shipbuilding capabilities as part of industrial policy and energy security strategies. Including Brazil in this conversation positions the country as a potential regional hub for offshore infrastructure and support vessel construction.

    Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.

  • Peregrino field: Prio takes the helm

    Peregrino field: Prio takes the helm

    PRIO has completed the acquisition of a 40% interest and operatorship in Peregrino Field, Campos Basin — increasing its stake to 80%.

    Key facts:

    • The deal adds about +40,000 barrels per day (bpd) to PRIO’s output, taking total production above 150,000 bpd.
    • Transaction value for this first phase was US$ 1.545 billion, with the remaining 20% stake expected to close by mid-2026.
    • Peregrino, discovered in 2004 and on stream since 2011, produces heavy oil via FPSO and three fixed platforms. Cumulative output already exceeds 300 million barrels.
    • PRIO now holds operatorship, positioned to optimize logistics, reduce lifting costs, and integrate operations across its mature-asset portfolio.
    • The company estimates surpassing 200,000 bpd within eight months — driven by the startup of the Wahoo Field and the expected closing of the remaining 20% Peregrino interest.
    • For former operator Equinor ASA, the divestment aligns with its strategy of focusing on higher-growth assets such as Bacalhau.

    PRIO’s new role as majority operator at Peregrino marks a key moment in Brazil’s offshore evolution — local players taking lead in mature fields and driving value through efficiency and integration. For PRIO, the acquisition cements its position as Brazil’s leading independent upstream company, while Equinor repositions toward next-generation pre-salt and gas projects.

    Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.

  • Transpetro Bid

    Transpetro Bid

    Transpetro – Petrobras Transporte S. A. Launches Third International Tender for Fleet Renewal

    Transpetro has opened the third international tender under Petrobras’ Fleet Renewal and Expansion Program, advancing the company’s 2025–2029 Business Plan. The new bid covers the construction of four MR1 tankers, each with a 40,000 DWT capacity, to transport oil and derivatives along the Brazilian coast.

    Shipyards have 90 days to submit proposals and the first vessel is expected to be delivered within 33 months after contract signing. According to Transpetro, the vessels will incorporate advanced technologies to enhance energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    This round follows previous tenders for 18 barges and 18 pushers, as well as four LR1 tankers, reinforcing Petrobras’ long-term logistics strategy and the revival of Brazil’s shipbuilding industry.

    Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.

  • Open Tenders & More

    Open Tenders & More

    Dear all,

    WSB is pleased to provide an update on the current long-term tenders that are open to offer:

    What has changed?

    • Petrobras — at least 1x PSV: Opportunity 7004439824 | new deadline November 14, 2025 (was Nov 11)
    • Petrobras — at least 1x LH: Opportunity 7004497614 | new deadline November 20, 2025 (was Nov 10)
    • Petrobras — at least 1x FSV: Opportunity 7004492292 | new deadline November 20, 2025 (was Nov 10)
    • Petrobras — at least 1x LH: Opportunity 7004484466 | new deadline November 20, 2025 (was Nov 10)
    • Petrobras — up to 2x AHTS (NEWBUILDS): Opportunity 7004345558 | deadline November 28, 2025
    • Transpetro – Petrobras Transporte S. A. — acquisition of 18x Barges and 18x Pushers: Opportunity 7004521370 | deadline December 05, 2025
    • Petrobras — FPSO for Albacora Revitalization: Opportunity 7004415516 | deadline December 15, 2025
    – Petrobras — at least 1x SESV: Opportunity 7004482740 | deadline November 10, 2025

    What else happening

    The 12th edition of the November Conference was held in Rio de Janeiro, reaffirming the Brazil–Norway partnership in research, innovation, and energy transition. The event gathered representatives from Equinor, Petrobras, Scatec ASA, COPPE/UFRJ, and the University of Oslo for discussions on sustainable energy, CCUS, bioenergy, safety, and marine management. A highlight was the launch of the 5th joint call by Finep and the Research Council of Norway, supporting bilateral projects in sustainable energy and maritime transport.

    Hidrovias do Brasil finalized the sale of its cabotage division to Companhia de Navegação Norsul for R$ 715 million. The transaction, part of Hidrovias’ strategy to focus on river transport and port infrastructure, strengthens its balance sheet and core operations. Norsul now assumes ownership of the vessels Tambaqui and Tucunaré, expanding its bauxite transport capacity to roughly 4 million tons per year.

    Meanwhile, Grupo Náutica announced the JAQ H1, a 36-meter vessel powered by green hydrogen produced from water, to be showcased at COP 30. Designed as a floating research lab for marine and river biomes, the project envisions future hybrid versions with onboard hydrogen generation by 2027. Grupo Náutica also signed an MoU with Porto do Açu to begin testing and feasibility studies in 2026.

    Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com
    , our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.

  • AAL Hamburg loads barges in Pará Operation

    AAL Hamburg loads barges in Pará Operation

    A private-use terminal in Pará loaded 16 barges stacked sideways on the heavy-lift vessel AAL Hamburg, marking the first operation of this kind in South America. The terminal normally handles around 74 million liters of clean products, recently expanded for biofuels, and the barges — each weighing approximately 380 tons — will support LHG Mining’s dry-bulk export operations via the Paraguay-Paraná waterway. The initiative is financed by the Merchant Marine Fund and BNDES.

  • Staff Announcement – Raphael Montes

    Staff Announcement – Raphael Montes

    WSB Advisors is pleased to announce the promotion of Raphael Montes to the position of Managing Director, effective October 2025.

    Raphael joined WSB Advisors in 2017 and has since played a pivotal role in the company’s commercial and operational areas. Having started as Offshore Shipbroker, he advanced to Proposals Manager in 2023, where he was responsible for overseeing the development of chartering, engineering, and consultancy proposals — strengthening client relations and ensuring the delivery of tailored solutions aligned with the company’s strategic goals.

    In his new role as Managing Director, Raphael will oversee WSB Advisors’ overall business strategy, commercial development, and client engagement initiatives, while leading multidisciplinary teams toward innovation and operational excellence. He will also focus on expanding the company’s footprint in the global offshore market and fostering long-term partnerships with industry stakeholders.

    “I am deeply honored to take on this new challenge and continue contributing to WSB’s growth and leadership in the offshore sector. Over the past years, I’ve witnessed the company’s commitment to quality, integrity, and client success — values that I intend to strengthen as we move toward an even more dynamic and global future,” said Montes.

    We congratulate Raphael on this well-deserved promotion and look forward to his continued contributions to WSB Advisors’ success.

    Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.

  • DOF, Technip FMC and Petrobras

    DOF, Technip FMC and Petrobras

    • DOF Group extended contracts for three PLSVs — Skandi Vitória, Skandi Niterói, and Skandi Açu — with Petrobras in partnership with TechnipFMC through Q1 2030. The extension adds approximately US$ 100 million to DOF’s Brazilian backlog.

  • Allseas wins Petrobras riser contract

    Allseas wins Petrobras riser contract

    Petrobras contracted Allseas to supply and install 143 km of rigid risers and flowlines connecting 18 wells to FPSO P-84, following the model of Búzios 10 (111 km for 16 wells). Work is to begin in Q1 2029 using the pipe-laying vessel Audacia.