Por Onde Anda? Geonísio Barroso

Brazil’s first locally built AHTS is back at work. Its Petrobras contract isn’t.
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After more than eight months out of service, Geonisio Barroso returned to operational readiness in September 2026 and secured a 90-day spot charter, while its Petrobras agreement remained suspended.

​At 75.6 metres, the DP1 vessel has approximately 154 tonnes of bollard pull. It began its career supporting Petrobras and later operated under different commercial arrangements, including Bourbon Offshore and Asgaard Bourbon.
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The vessel’s history has included setbacks. In March 2015, it collided with the FPSO Cidade do Rio de Janeiro following a dynamic-positioning reference failure. No injuries or environmental damage were reported, and Brazil’s Maritime Court subsequently archived the case.
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After a class-renewal drydock in 2024 involving approximately R$11 million in maintenance and equipment work, Geonisio Barroso began a new four-year Petrobras contract in April 2025.
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In December, however, a mechanical failure interrupted operations. Repairs extended into 2026, with delays involving imported replacement components.
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For Brazil’s first locally built AHTS, waiting for foreign spare parts became part of the story.
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On July 31, Columbus Offshore and Petrobras agreed to suspend the charter for 365 days, with the possibility of an earlier restart.
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Operational capacity was restored in September. Columbus Offshore signed a 90-day spot charter with a private oil-shipping company on September 4, effective from September 2.
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Since then, Geonisio Barroso has appeared in successive NAVAREA V notices for planned ship-to-ship oil transfer operations south of Santos, including a window covering October 18 to 26.
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The vessel is back in the market, even as its Petrobras charter remains on hold.
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Explore Geonisio Barroso’s specifications, contract history and market intelligence on WSB-One: https://wsb-one.com