INC Builds 18 Pushboats for Transpetro’s Bunkering Operations

​Indústria Naval Catarinense (INC) is building 18 pushboats for Transpetro at its shipyard in Navegantes, Santa Catarina. Steel cutting began on September 15, 2026, initiating production of a fleet designed to support bunkering operations at five Brazilian ports.
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Contracted in January 2026, the pushboats will handle marine fuel barges in Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Belém, Paranaguá and Rio Grande. The order complements 18 barges contracted from Estaleiro Bertolini Construção Naval da Amazônia (Beconal), in Manaus.
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The officially announced investment totals R$628.8 million, comprising R$325.3 million for the pushboats and R$303.5 million for the barges. Both contracts form part of the Petrobras System’s Mar Aberto fleet renewal and expansion programme.
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Developed by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. in cooperation with INC, the RApide 1800 design measures 18.7 metres in length and 9.2 metres in beam. Each vessel will feature two Z-drive thrusters, each powered by a diesel engine rated at approximately 450 kW, providing manoeuvrability for barge handling in ports and restricted waterways.
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The design provides accommodation for up to 10 personnel and specifies compliance with Brazilian inland navigation requirements and Bureau Veritas classification. These will be the first Robert Allan-designed vessels for Transpetro.
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Construction is planned to progress with the vessels at different stages of steel processing, block assembly, systems integration and testing, allowing production activities to run concurrently across the series.
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Together, the pushboats and barges will support Transpetro’s expansion into barge-based fuel transportation and bunkering, adding a dedicated fleet to its marine fuel logistics operations across the five ports.