Rio, July 25, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The second ship made in Brazil of the type AHTS B 102 (Anchor Handling Tug Supply) is ready to take to the sea. The ship will provide support to Petrobras. According to the Rio state secretary of Energy, Shipbuilding, and Petroleum, Wagner Victer, the construction of vessels of this type is "an indication for international investors that the shipyards of Rio offer conditions to carry out sophisticated naval construction." The ship was ordered by the Delba Maritima Navegação group, built by the Fels Setal group, and will be launched on Tuesday (29) at the BrasFels (ex-Verolme) shipyard, in the municipality of Angra dos Reis.

The ship, which will be named Yvan Barretto, a Petrobras career employee and ex-head of the company's New York office, is the second of three AHTS's ordered by Delba Marítima, for a total of US$ 90 million. The first was launched in March, and the last is expected to be ready in October of this year. Tay Kim Hock, president of the Fels Setal group, to which the BrasFels shipyard belongs, affirmed that the endeavor represents the shipyard's entry into the construction of offshore support vessels. The ship has an 8 meter draft, is 75.6 meters in length, and attains a maximum velocity of 16 knots. (DAS)