Tankship 'Sergio Buarque de Holanda' delivered to Petrobas under current US$ 5.32-billion national shipbuilding program
Petrobras's transport arm Transpetro informed 'Marketwatch' that the tankship is 183 meters long with capacity to transport 56 million liters of fuel, the 200th ship to be built by Brazil's Estaleiro Maua shipyard in Rio de Janeiro state.
Petrobras's Promef ship modernization and construction program foresees a total investment of BRL10.8 billion on 49 ships that will be used by the oil and gas company, for delivery by around 2016.
All the ships are to be built in Brazil. The first two tankers were delivered in November and May, and a fourth is due for delivery before the end of this year.
Transpetro's president, Sergio Machado, said that the ship delivered to Petrobras in November, named Celso Furtado, was the first Brazilian-made ship to be acquired by Petrobras in 14 years.
"After 14 years without building any oil tankers, the Brazilian shipbuilding industry is starting to gain pace," Mr. Machado said at a ceremony to mark the ship's delivery. "We're going to concentrate now on seeking greater productivity, to allow the sector to gain international competitiveness."
Brazil has the fourth biggest order book for ships worldwide, Mr. Machado said.