China’s Zhoushan Dashenzhou Shipbuilding， as Petrobras’ shipping arm pushes ahead with a wider fleet renewal programme.

The contract covers 10，000 cum semi-refrigerated carriers designed to transport liquefied petroleum gas and related products. The order sits under the Mar Aberto programme， which aims to modernize and expand the Petrobras system fleet.

The trio forms part of a broader tender split into two lots covering eight vessels. The second batch—five pressurized LPG carriers—has already been awarded to Brazil’s Rio Grande shipyard.

Transpetro said adding owned tonnage will cut reliance on chartered ships and improve flexibility across its coastal and inland logistics operations.

“By expanding our own fleet with more modern， efficient vessels that have a lower environmental impact， we are strengthening the Petrobras system’s capacity to safely and predictably meet the growing supply of LPG in the country， reinforcing our commitment to supplying millions of Brazilians，” said Transpetro president Sérgio Bacci.

Once delivered， the newbuildings will lift Transpetro’s gas carrier fleet from six to 14 vessels， effectively tripling its transport capacity for LPG and derivatives.

The ships are expected to be up to 20% more energy efficient than existing units and cut greenhouse gas emissions by around 30%. They will also be capable of operating in electrified ports， reflecting a push to align with tightening environmental standards.

Deliveries are scheduled to begin roughly 33 months after construction starts， with subsequent vessels following at six-month intervals.

The investment comes as Brazil ramps up natural gas production， increasing demand for reliable domestic transport solutions both along the coast and on inland waterways such as those serving the northern regions and Lagoa dos Patos.

Transpetro， which operates more than 30 vessels and 48 terminals， is planning a broader spending push of about $6bn between 2026 and 2030. The programme includes 20 coastal vessels， 18 barges， 18 pushboats and the planned chartering of 40 offshore support vessels to back Petrobras’ upstream activities.