RJ: 5 Offshore Support Vessels in Pre-Salt Campos Basin Have Operations Suspended Due to 30 Coronavirus Cases

RJ – five support ships for offshore oil and natural gas platforms in the pre-salt region of the Campos Basin have suspended operations. The reason is the confirmation of at least thirty cases of contamination by the new coronavirus among onboard teams. Petrobras reported last night (23) that it has 261 employees infected with the coronavirus

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According to Anvisa, as of this Thursday (23), the five vessels that had confirmed cases are prohibited from leaving the port of RJ. “Anvisa is monitoring the ships to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among their crew members, who usually work long shifts offshore,” said the agency.

According to reports, at least one of these vessels provides services for Petrobras in pre-salt exploration.

The ship Navegantes Pride had to replace its entire crew, as all 14 people aboard were infected. The Skandi Peregrino has five confirmed cases among 13 crew members. With 47 crew members, the Fulmar has eight cases. And the Seven Sun arrived with 90 crew members and three confirmed cases.

Meanwhile, the Santos Scout ship has two suspected cases. The crew has not been informed. In all cases, the determination is that the infected individuals follow isolation measures, which can be done on the vessel, at home, or in hotels.

The support vessels provide services for offshore operations, such as transporting supplies or specialized work, like the laying of underwater pipes or anchors. They are confined environments where crew members usually share cabins and common areas.

“The Anvisa has determined that these vessels cannot operate. The goal is to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among their crew members who usually work long shifts offshore,” Anvisa stated in a note.

The duration of the prohibition for each ship may vary according to the date of the last case on board each ship and also with the strategy for crew replacement for each company.