Brazilian shipyard Estaleiro Rio Grande (ERG) laid the keel of the first of four Handymax product tankers for Transpetro on Thursday, October 15.
Steel processing at the fabrication facilities of ERG operator Ecovix began in April. Ecovix said work was proceeding according to the schedule agreed with Transpetro, the logistics subsidiary of Petrobras.
The four 16,000DWT tankers were contracted in February 2025 for US$278 million and are being built through Consórcio Marenova. They will carry clean petroleum products, including marine diesel, road diesel and aviation petrol, between Brazilian ports.
The first vessels are expected to be completed in the first half of 2028.
The tankers form part of a 13-vessel Transpetro orderbook at Ecovix. The orderbook also includes five pressurised LPG carriers. It also covers four 40,000DWT MR1 tankers valued at approximately US$427 million.
According to Ecovix and Transpetro, more than 65 per cent of the equipment needed for construction of the Handymax tankers has been acquired. The yard also unloaded 11,000 tonnes of steel imported from Indonesia in July.
Local newspaper A Hora do Sul reported that the 13 vessels would occupy about 30 per cent of the yard's capacity.
"The project reinforces the company's strategy of expanding its operational capacity to meet market demands and keep pace with the expansion of oil production in the country," said Jones Soares, Transpetro's Director of Maritime Transport.
The orders fall under the Petrobras Group's fleet renewal and expansion programme. Its estimated investment is US$6 billion between 2026 and 2030, covering 20 cabotage vessels, 18 barges and 18 pushboats.