Brazil’s Petrobras has issued a charter tender for a quartet of suezmax shuttle tanker newbuildings that it hopes to take on 15-year contracts.
Those following the project said several shipping companies have shown an interest.
2022 delivery
They include Norway's Knutsen OAS Shipping, New York-listed Teekay Offshore, Malaysia's AET, Norway's Viken Shipping, Greece's Tsakos Energy Navigation and Chinese financial owner CSIC Leasing.
The outfits are said to have approached shipyards in South Korea and China to build the vessels, which would be delivered in 2022.
Hyundai Heavy Industries, Samsung Heavy Industries, Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC) are said to have been to asked to make offers.
A source described the Petrobras project as “progressing well” but said it will still take some time for the Brazilian oil company to shortlist its suitable partner.
CSIC Leasing is said to be ahead of its competitors as it has already contracted sister company DISC to construct four 155,000-dwt tanker newbuildings for the Petrobras tender.
There is a good chance that CSIC Leasing may be shortlisted by Petrobras as the shipbuilding price offered by DSIC will be at least $10m less than shipyards in South Korea are seeking
Shipbuilding source
“There is a good chance that CSIC Leasing may be shortlisted by Petrobras as the shipbuilding price offered by DSIC will be at least $10m less than shipyards in South Korea are seeking,” a shipbuilding source said.
Huge appetite
TradeWinds is told that prices for suezmax shuttle tanker newbuildings can range from the high $90m mark to about $120m, with the spread in prices due to vessel specifications.
Shipbuilding experts say the $120m “special-purpose ship” that SHI recently contracted with a European client is a suezmax shuttle tanker newbuilding.
Teekay Offshore is said to be behind the order of the newbuilding that is slated for delivery by March 2022.
Shipping players described Petrobras as having a huge appetite for shuttle tankers to operate alongside its floating storage production and offloading units in Brazilian waters.
A spokesman for Petrobras shipping subsidiary Transpetro acknowledged it is currently in negotiations to charter shuttle tankers on a bareboat basis but declined to comment further.
Dynamic positioning
The energy company is scheduled to take delivery of four 152,000-dwt vessels with dynamic positioning two from SHI in 2020. The quartet was ordered by Malaysian owner AET on the back of 15-year charters.
AET did not disclose the price of the newbuildings, which will be compliant to IMO NOx Tier III emissions requirements. The vessels will also be installed with ballast water treatment systems and equipped with high-power thrusters and generators that are capable of operating in harsh weather conditions.
Joe Brady contributed to this story
