E&P Companies Will Be Allowed to Charter Offshore Support Vessels

At its most recent meeting on April 8, the Board of Directors of ANTAQ approved significant revisions to Normative Resolution No. 01/2015 and Resolution No. 1,811/2010.

The main change introduced by the revised regulation is the authorization for Brazilian-flagged vessels operating in offshore support navigation to be time-chartered directly by oil and gas companies engaged in exploration and production activities of minerals and hydrocarbons in Brazilian waters, without the need for these companies to be previously authorized by ANTAQ as Brazilian Shipping Companies (EBNs).

These chartering operations must be conducted exclusively through an EBN duly authorized to operate in offshore support navigation, which will also be responsible for registering the charter in ANTAQ’s Maritime Chartering System (SAMA).

The chartering oil and gas companies must use the vessels exclusively for their own operations, and are not allowed to provide maritime support services to third parties or sub-charter the vessels.

The regulation has also been amended to allow oil and gas companies to time-subcharter foreign-flagged offshore support vessels. In such cases, the foreign vessels must hold a valid Chartering Authorization Certificate (CAA) issued in favor of the EBN acting as the primary charterer, thus eliminating the requirement for a new public notice (circularization) for the same vessel.

This regulatory revision is the result of longstanding demands from oil and gas companies and aims to align Brazil’s offshore support vessel chartering framework with international market practices, promoting greater consistency and contractual efficiency.