Petrobras' Transpetro Launches Process to Commission Four Vessels

Brazilian logistics firm Transpetro, a subsidiary of state-run oil firm Petrobras, has launched a procurement notice to commission four new coastal vessels, Transpetro's chief executive announced on Monday.

The four vessels would be of the 'handy' class with a capacity of 15,000 to 18,000 deadweight tonnage, Transpetro CEO Sergio Bacci said at an event on Monday in Rio de Janeiro.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is pushing Petrobras to help strengthen the country's naval industry, which he sees as key to job creation, after it lost relevance over the past decade due to corruption scandals involving shipyard executives.

Transpetro expects to launch the first of the four vessels in the first half of 2026, with the other three ships being launched every six months, according to the logistics firm.

(Reuters - Reporting by Fabio Teixeira; writing by Andre Romani; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle)