Seagems, a joint venture equally owned by Paratus Energy Services and Vantris Energy, has advanced in the tender process opened by Petrobras to incorporate support vessels for subsea pipelaying. The company received confirmation that its bid for a third-party vessel was accepted within the partial results published by the Brazilian oil company. The process is still subject to formal contract award and the signing of definitive agreements.
The tender covers contracts starting in 2028 and is divided into five lots with different technical specifications. Operations are expected to have a duration of four years. Seagems had submitted proposals for both the Jade vessel and a third-party vessel, for which it had already secured exclusive access in the event of winning the contract.
To ensure vessel availability, Seagems reached a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a purchase option. Thus, in addition to contemplating the use of the vessel for the potential contract with Petrobras, the agreement establishes the possibility for the company to acquire it at a later stage, always subject to the finalization of definitive agreements.
PLSVs (Pipe-Laying Support Vessels) are specialized vessels used in offshore operations related to the installation and laying of pipes and flexible lines on the seabed. Seagems currently operates a fleet of six multi-purpose PLSVs dedicated to support, installation, flexible pipelaying, and subsea construction tasks. All of them are currently operating under contracts in Brazil.
The company already maintains a significant share in Petrobras operations. In 2024, Seagems secured three-year contracts for its six vessels, a transaction that added approximately US$1.8 billion to its contract backlog through 2028. At the close of the second quarter of 2026, the joint venture reported an order backlog of nearly US$1.1 billion.
The acceptance of the bid for the third-party vessel represents a new stage in the tender process, although it does not yet imply final award. Once the pending stages are completed and the corresponding agreements are signed, Seagems will be able to proceed with the integration of this vessel into its operations linked to Petrobras, expanding the number of units available for subsea services contracts in Brazil.
