Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
5 min of reading 
0 comments 
The value does not only cover the construction of the four ships: the package of eight contracts also includes the chartering and services throughout the entire useful life of the vessels. Each will carry robots capable of diving to 4,000 meters, and the goal is that up to 80% of the construction will be done with national labor and parts.
About 7,000 jobs are expected to emerge in Navegantes, on the North Coast of Santa Catarina, with a new billion-dollar order from Petrobras. The state-owned company closed a package of contracts totaling R$ 11 billion to build, at the Navship shipyard in Santa Catarina, four hybrid propulsion vessels equipped with underwater robots, aimed at supporting operations in deep and ultra-deep waters, such as those in the pre-salt layer.
The agreement was signed on May 14, 2026, at an event with the company DOF Subsea Serviços, the Brazilian arm of the Norwegian DOF, and is part of the Open Sea Program, aimed at renewing and expanding Petrobras’ fleet, within the company’s 2026-2030 Strategic Plan. According to the state-owned company, the expectation is to generate approximately 1,500 direct jobs and 5,600 indirect jobs throughout the phases of construction and operation of the ships.
What the R$ 11 billion really covers
It is worth an important clarification to correctly understand the size of the investment. The R$ 11 billion does not only refer to the cost of building the four ships. It is a package of eight contracts that covers the construction of the vessels, the chartering, and the provision of submarine support services that these ships will perform throughout their operational life, which usually lasts many years.
-
Uncrewed and over 1,000 tons, new warship targets future naval operations
-
Ship that departed from China on March 30 arrives in Salvador with 44 containers, 1,550 metal pieces, and over 800 tons of equipment, marking the beginning of the largest bridge over the sea in Latin America, a mega-project of 12.4 km that will use unprecedented technology on the continent.
-
While modern pilots respect a minimum altitude of 300 meters, a P-51 flew under the Eiffel Tower chasing a Bf 109 in 1944.
-
Port of Paranaguá receives Star Norge, a sustainable ship from Norway, with 14,200 tons of cellulose
In other words, it is a long-term commitment between Petrobras and DOF, and not a single check for the construction. This distinction is relevant because it shows that the value is spread over decades of operation, although the immediate impact on the economy of Navegantes, with the construction of the ships, is already significant. The contract is aligned with the state-owned company’s strategy to expand its operational capacity and strengthen the national supplier chain.
The ships with robots that dive to 4,000 meters
The four vessels will be of the RSV type, an acronym in English for ROV Support Vessel, or remotely operated vehicle support ship. They are specialized in underwater inspection, maintenance, and repair activities, tasks considered strategic for the continuity of Petrobras’ operations at sea. The main highlight is the underwater robots, the ROVs, capable of operating at depths of up to 4,000 meters.
These robots are equipped with mechanical arms, high-precision lights, and cameras, which allow them to handle and assemble equipment on the seabed, as well as inspect and repair pipelines, valves, and connections of oil wells located thousands of meters deep. It is precisely these pieces of equipment that enable exploration in fields like the pre-salt, where operations occur under extreme conditions, far from the coast and under enormous water pressure.
Hybrid propulsion and focus on emission reduction
Another distinguishing feature of the ships is the hybrid propulsion technology, which combines batteries, electric motors, and fuels with a lower environmental impact. According to Petrobras, this configuration allows for greater energy efficiency, reduced fuel consumption, and lower greenhouse gas emissions, in line with the decarbonization goals the company has been pursuing in its operations.
The investment in cleaner vessels reflects a trend in the oil and gas sector, pressured to reduce its carbon footprint even in support activities. For DOF’s CEO, Mario Fuzetti, the project combines investment in technology, emission reduction, and job creation in Brazil by building the ships domestically instead of importing them ready-made, which maintains the wealth and qualification of the workforce in the country.
The weight of national content
One of the most valued points by Petrobras in this contract is the local content index. The goal is to achieve up to 80% national content during the construction phase of the vessels and about 90% during the operation of the ships. In practice, this means that most of the parts, materials, and services will come from Brazilian companies, boosting an entire production chain linked to the naval industry.
According to Petrobras’ Executive Manager of Subsea Systems, Flavio Bretanha, the company’s current management has increased the number of suppliers by simplifying technical specifications, which has increased competitiveness and boosted the naval market, attracting more qualified proposals. For the state-owned company, building the ships in Brazil reduces dependence on the international market and strengthens the productive sovereignty of the sector.
Navegantes consolidated as a naval hub
For Navegantes and the entire Itajaí Valley region, the creation of about 7,000 jobs associated with a single contract represents an economic boost that goes far beyond the shipyard gates. The direct jobs include welders, boilermakers, electricians, naval engineers, and specialized technicians, while the indirect jobs spread across the entire supply chain of components, materials, and services.
This is not an isolated case in the region. Navegantes came from another recent announcement by Petrobras, with the construction of six ships and the opening of about 1,200 positions at the beginning of the year. Combined, these projects consolidate the Santa Catarina coast, alongside Itajaí, as one of the main naval hubs in the country, attracting billion-dollar investments and qualifying the local workforce for the high-value-added industry.
The new order from Petrobras to Navegantes is an example of how investments in the oil and gas sector can invigorate the regional economy and strengthen the national industry, generating thousands of qualified jobs. More than just four ships with underwater robots, the contract represents cutting-edge technology, a focus on emission reduction, and the consolidation of Santa Catarina as a reference in Brazilian shipbuilding, at a time of expansion of operations in deep waters.
Do you think investments like this one from Petrobras are the way to strengthen the shipbuilding industry and generate qualified jobs in Brazil? Do you live in the Navegantes region and feel the effects of this boom at the shipyard? Leave your comment, share your thoughts on the future of the Santa Catarina naval sector, and share the article with those interested in oil, technology, and the economy.
Be the first to react!