Transpetro, a company belonging to the Petrobras Group, signed a contract with Estaleiro Rio Grande for the construction of four medium-sized vessels, MR1 class (Medium Range), for a total value of USD 427 million.
Each vessel has a gross tonnage (GT) of 40,000 tons and will be used for the transport of oil and petroleum products along the Brazilian coast. This order is part of the Mar Aberto Program, an initiative aimed at renewing and expanding Petrobras’ own fleet.
The new vessels were awarded through an international public tender called at the end of 2025. It is estimated that the first vessel will be delivered within 33 months after the contract enters into force, once the analysis of all the shipyard’s documentation is completed.
This contract is part of a set of 16 coastal vessels planned by Transpetro under the Mar Aberto Program, in addition to 18 barges and 18 tugboats. The initiative has already secured orders for 52 vessels.
The construction of the new vessels expands Transpetro’s capacity to provide services to Petrobras and helps reduce exposure to charter costs.
“The contracting of medium-sized vessels reinforces Transpetro’s strategy to increase its logistical capacity to meet Petrobras’ growing production and refining needs. Considering the acquisitions made during our administration, the company’s own fleet will increase from 26 to 42 vessels by 2030. This is our mission: to grow Transpetro and contribute to the economic and social development of the country, since the majority of these constructions will be carried out in Brazil,” stated the president of Transpetro, Sérgio Bacci.
Technology and sustainability
The MR1 vessels will incorporate state-of-the-art solutions, with the expectation of achieving improvements of up to 20% in fuel efficiency and a reduction of approximately 30% in greenhouse gas emissions, in accordance with the guidelines of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
In the future, the vessels will be able to operate on biofuels, such as ethanol, and operate in electrified ports. To this end, they will have a connection to the shore-side electrical grid. Additionally, their hulls will receive a coating of high-performance paint that reduces friction and contributes to greater operational efficiency.
Each vessel will be approximately 175 meters long and 30 meters wide, and will be able to transport products such as diesel, gasoline, and fuel oil.
The MR1 vessels will also incorporate technologies such as 3D digital engineering, telemetry, and telemedicine, further modernizing the fleet and improving monitoring and safety levels.
Mar Aberto Program
The Mar Aberto program reaffirms the Petrobras System’s commitment to the renewal and expansion of the national fleet and plays a fundamental role in the logistics of operations and in strengthening the Brazilian naval industry.
With a total estimated investment of 6 billion US dollars between 2026 and 2030, the initiative includes the construction of 20 coastal vessels, as well as 18 barges and 18 tugboats, and the planned chartering of 40 new support vessels intended to renew the fleet that supports exploration and production (E&P) activities.
