The Brazilian state of Bahia has been awarded the largest volume of investments approved by the government's Merchant Marine Fund (FMM), administered by the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor).
In the first of four meetings that the council will hold this year, more than R$7.1 billion ($1.3 billion) were allocated to two new projects and one resubmitted for extension. The projects will enable the construction of offshore vessels and the modernisation of shipyards.
“In addition to modernizing the state’s naval industry, these projects generate jobs, income, qualifications for workers in the sector and the development of new technologies, which benefits the entire region,” said the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho.
“These are mainly projects related to the offshore industry, that is, for the construction of vessels that will work to support oil production on the high seas," the National Secretary of Waterways and Navigation, Dino Antunes added.
"We also had the requalification of shipyards. These approvals bring a great possibility for the development of the region that will receive these construction projects and, later, also for the operation of the vessels.”
Among the new projects is the construction of four ROV support vessels for R$2.8 billion. The company responsible is DOF Subsea Brasil Serviços.
The construction deadline for 10 more offshore support vessels has been extended by the FMM Board of Directors. The CMM Offshore Brasil project has R$4.2 billion in resources.
Another project for the region concerns Belov Offshore Industrial, which will expand and modernise its shipyard with an investment of R$73.6 million.
The project will include the installation of new equipment, modernisation of buildings and adaptation to stricter environmental standards.
The total investment approved by the board of directors of the Merchant Marine Fund at a meeting held in May was R$22 billion, divided into 26 projects related to the construction of vessels, repairs, docking, modernisation of existing units, expansion of shipyards and new port infrastructure.
This was the largest volume of resources approved by the FMM so far in a single board meeting.
The FMM is a fund designed to provide resources for the development of the Brazilian merchant navy and the shipbuilding and repair industry.
It is administered by the Ministry of Ports and Airports, through the board of directors of the Merchant Navy Fund (CDFMM), and its financial agents are the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), Banco do Brasil, Banco do Nordeste, Banco da Amazônia and Caixa Econômica Federal.
