Brasília - Transpetro - a Petrobras subsidiary - is receiving tender offers for the construction of 22 vessels worth US$445 million (R$1.2 billion) to be delivered before the end of 2006. Transpetro also reports that it will soon be needing an additional 20 vessels for petroleum and gas transportation. The president of Transpetro, Sergio Machado, reports that 65% of the construction will be with domestically-made products. He also said that in the first phase of construction around 20,000 jobs will be created. Finally, he said that some of the construction should take place in the Suape shipyard in the state of Pernambuco.

"Our development policy includes the recovery of Brazil's shipbuilding industry. We are going to mobilize universities, the business community and the government in order to achieve economic growth," declared minister of Science and Technology, Eduardo Campos, as he participated in an executive group meeting on the operation of a Transpetro-Ministry of Science and Technology agreement. Under the agreement, US$11 million (R$30 million) will be spent by the two organizations on research and training this year.

Translation: Allen Bennett