The blocking of foreign-flagged vessels in Brazil has so far been restricted to platform supply vessels and anchor-handling tug supply vessels, but a more sophisticated niche may soon join the fray, writes Fabio Palmigiani.
Sources tell Upstream they expect the Technip and DOF Subsea consortium to block at least one foreign-flagged flexible pipelaying support vessel owned by Subsea 7 in order to win back a contract for its Brazilian-flagged PLSV Skandi Vitoria.
The 300-tonne Skandi Vitoria was released by Petrobras in September 2015, after completing its latest two-year term with the company. The PLSV recently arrived in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, after sailing from Las Palmas.
It is understood that Technip-DOF is considering using the Brazilian law to block similar vessels of international tonnage, and Subsea 7 has three 340-tonne PLSVs — Seven Mar, Seven Phoenix and Normand Seven — working for Petrobras on charters due to expire from 2016 to 2018.
Petrobras currently has a fleet of 14 PLSVs, with 10 newbuild units due for delivery by the fourth quarter of 2017.
As with with other types of OSVs, Petrobras is expected to reduce its PLSV fleet over the next few months, most likely releasing older units with lower top tension capabilities.
Industry sources say that Petrobras’ demand for PLSVs over the next couple of years will be in the range of 10 to 12 vessels, suggesting an oversupply of as much as 12 units once all are delivered, but the company made no comment.
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