The Brazilian naval and offshore sector industries have been experiencing a boom phase for at least 8 years now. But the biggest jump started in 2009 when Petrobras began to spread its investments as a result of pre-salt discoveries. Of the U.S$1 7 4.4 billion total forecast for company investments up to 2013, US $ 28 billions of destined for the development of pre salt fields. Petrograd estimates that it will be extracting 157 thousand bpd of oil in the Pre-Salt areas in 2013 and in 2020 they hope to reach the 1.1 8 million bpd mark. By this time, the partners of Petrograd should be arriving at the 632,000 bpd production mark.
For the naval and offshore sector business in the 2009 to 2012 period, Petrobras plans to contract 28 new rigs for building here in Brazil. Up to 2017 a further 29 will also be ordered. The company expects to have 91 rigs in operation by 2012.
Petrobras estimates that investments of US $47.8 million will be made in the Supplies
Area, of which 7% in maritime transport and 8% in pipelines and terminals. The company's plans also include 146 offshore supply boats – of which only 13 have been put up for bids at the present day. Of 19 boats destined for Cabotage transportation of oil and its byproducts, 12 have been put out for tender and construction should be started in 2010. These vessels are being ordered from Brazilian shipyards by local shipowners and will be contracted by Petrobras over an extended period. Most certainly more investments in platforms, drilling rigs, and support vessels will be announced.
In addition to the above investments, there are prospects of ordering new vessels by various private sector shipbuilders, mainly the for cabotage duty in the transportation of containers and bulk cargo.
Recently The Brazilian Navy also announced the intention of renewing its fleet and in 2009 contracted 4 - 500 t patrol boats of a total of 17 planned to be contracted out up to 2016. The Navy also expects to issue contracts for 12 oceanographic Patrol Boats of 1,800 t, 4 of them during 2010 and the rest to over a period yet to be determined. Last September the French company DCNS signed contracts with the Brazilian navy for supply of conventional submarines and for technology transfer related to the non-nuclear part the first Brazilian submarine to be powered by nuclear energy. The contract includes technical assistance in building a naval base and a shipyard.
From the start of this decade, renewal of the Offshore and Maritime Support Services for Petrobras has set in motion a process of re-opening shipyards that have been idle, and the opening up of new small and medium-sized industrial estates. In the last 2 years, together with the contracting out of 33 tankers by Transpetro, the shipbuilding scenario in Brazil has changed dramatically. After more than 10 years of being practically paralyzed, the Brazilian naval industry has returned to occupy a notable position national economy. In the 1970’s, Brazilian shipyards employed more than 40,000 workers and in 1990s, the figure reached an all-time low with the less than 1000 workers in the entire country. In 2009, the number of directly employed jobs amounted to more than 46,000 and the figure for indirect labour came to 230,000, with the performance in the naval sector even more animating. To meet with the demand of prospective orders, new shipyards must be constructed in various regions of the country.
Up to 2010 Transpetro will have contracted more than 16 tankers and will be planning orders of barge convoys for inland waterway transportation of ethanol. Furthermore, the port services segment continues at a lively rate and renewal of the Brazilian tug fleet has not experienced any cancellations due to the crisis. Vale Rio Doce alone contracted 15 large size azimuth-drive tugs in 2009. For inland waterway transport, Vale has contracted 2 push tugs and 32 barges. Now that it has acquired shares of the Rio Tinto mining company in the whole of South America, Vale plans to order tugs and barges over the next few months, which should give even more stimulus the shipyard business in the Amazon region. Vale has also studied ordering large-size bulk carriers for transporting its iron ore production to China.
