Chinese Giant in Gas Carrier Construction Aims for Expansion in the Brazilian Market
Vice President of Jiangnan Shipyard Group Arrives at Navalshore 2025 with Interest in Petrobras Tender
The Vice President of Jiangnan Shipyard Group, the largest Chinese shipyard specialized in gas carrier construction, Lin Qingshan, arrives at Navalshore 2025 with the goal of seeking partnerships and expanding its presence in the Brazilian market. The group, participating for the first time in Latin America's largest maritime fair, scheduled for August 19-21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has already initiated contacts for the second tender of Petrobras' fleet renewal program. The process involves the purchase of eight vessels: five pressurized and three semi-refrigerated, with capacities of 7,000 and 14,000 cubic meters, intended for the transportation of LPG and ammonia.
According to Wagner Freitas, commercial director of WSS Express, the representative of the Chinese group in Brazil, expectations are high. "Participating for the first time in a fair of the magnitude of Navalshore is a symbolic milestone, especially due to the proximity to BRICS countries. We believe that the strength of this movement will foster many partnerships that have already begun to take shape," he emphasized.
Freitas also highlights Jiangnan Shipyard Group's commitment to sustainable innovation. "Lin Qingshan has been an active advocate for research and development of technology for green ships, aiming to expand this promising market," he added.
Operating in Brazil since 2017, WSS Express is a reference in providing integrated maritime solutions, focusing on the specific demands of vessel owners. The company maintains offices in Rio de Janeiro, as well as strategic units in Shanghai, Dalian, and Hong Kong, China.
Navalshore 2025
Navalshore reaches its 19th edition in 2025, with an expanded exhibition area of 6,000 to 10,000 square meters. The number of exhibitors has grown from 110 to 144 confirmed companies, representing over 400 national and international brands in the naval and offshore sectors.
This growth accompanies a new cycle of investments in the Brazilian shipbuilding industry, which recorded over R$ 30 billion in investments in 2024—the largest volume in more than a decade, according to data from the Merchant Marine Fund. For 2025, an additional R$ 22 billion has been approved for new projects, consolidating a vigorous recovery of the sector.
In this context, Navalshore 2025 is expected to drive business estimated at over R$ 12 billion, considering signed contracts, commercial partnerships, and connections between suppliers, shipowners, shipyards, and institutions in the sector. Organizers expect to exceed the number of visitors by 30% compared to 2024, attracting around 15,000 professionals from the maritime and offshore sectors, including engineers, decision-makers, technicians, and institutional representatives from Brazil, Latin America, and strategic markets such as Europe and Asia.
With Transpetro as the master sponsor, the event aims to create a conducive environment for generating partnerships, fostering business opportunities, and exchanging knowledge among leading companies in the market.
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Event:
Navalshore - Maritime Industry Fair and Conference
Date: August 19 to 21, 2025
Location: Expo Rio Cidade Nova (formerly Expo Mag) – Rua Beatriz Larragoiti Lucas, s/n, Cidade Nova – Rio de Janeiro – RJ – Brazil
Hours: 1 PM to 8 PM
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Conference – August 19
2:00 PM | Panel: Financing for Shipbuilding – What are the pathways to expand access to credit and enable new projects in the sector?
PANELISTS
Lilian Schaefer
Representative of the Brazilian Association of Maritime Support Companies (ABEAM) and the National Union of Shipping Companies (SYNDARMA)
Dino Antunes Dias Batista
National Secretary of Infrastructure and Navigation – Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor)
Estevão Colnago
Director of Institutional Relations – National Confederation of Insurers (CNseg)
Daniel Bonavita
Head of the Infrastructure Office – Caixa Econômica Federal
Elisa Lage
Head of the Department of Gas, Oil, Navigation, and Decarbonization – BNDES
Ariovaldo Rocha
President of the National Union of Shipbuilding and Offshore Repair Industry (Sinaval)
4:00 PM | Debates
MODERATOR – Bernardo de Senna
Partner at CAR – Costa, Albino & Rocha Lawyers
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Navalshore Press Office
Karla Rúbia - +55 21 99943-0344
Giselli Nichols - +55 21 97119-5901