Japan’s MODEC has put a construction milestone under its belt for a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, with the completion of the forward hull section, which has left Japan and is on its way to China, where it will be combined with the aft hull section. Once all parts of the FPSO are completed, the vessel will be deployed to an offshore field in Brazil, operated by the Brazilian subsidiary of UK-based energy giant Shell.
The front section of the MODEC chassis for FPSO Gato do Matto It has left Sumitomo Heavy Industries (SHI-ME) shipyard in Yokosuka, Japan and is being transported to China, where it will be combined with the aft hull section currently under construction before the full hull advances to the next stage.
Soichi EddieThe Head of the Floating Production Solutions Business Unit at MODEC commented: “This achievement is more than just completing a major section of the structure. It demonstrates how innovation and collaboration are shaping the future of FPSO delivery.
“By partnering with SHI-ME in building an FPSO hull for the first time and adopting a multi-yard construction model, we are pioneering a new approach to hull manufacturing that expands implementation flexibility and enhances our global delivery capabilities.”
The Japanese giant highlights that the multi-yard construction model enables parallel manufacturing, optimizes yard capacity, and enhances project execution while maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety.
the project She is the first vessel to feature the Next Generation MODEC Hull (NGH) design, which was developed to enhance buildability and scalability, improve execution efficiency and support the delivery of increasingly complex offshore developments.
“Combined with our NGH design, this project reflects our commitment to continually push boundaries, embrace new partnerships and deliver smarter, more flexible solutions to our clients.” Added integrated development environment.
With a production capacity of about 120 thousand barrels of oil per day FPSO Gato do Matto The vessel will be moored in approximately 2,000 meters of water, approximately 200 kilometers south of Rio de Janeiro, using the SOFEC deployed mooring system.
This FPSO will be the 19th FPSO/FSO to be developed by MODEC in Brazil and the second to be delivered directly to Shell for operation in Orca fieldwhich is implemented by this energy giant and Ecopetrol, with the participation of PPSA as manager of the Production Sharing Contract (PSC).
Located in the Santos Basin, the project is a pre-salt gas condensate discovery spanning two adjacent blocks: BM-S-54, a concession concluded by Shell in 2005, and South of Gato do Mattoa production sharing agreement obtained in 2017.
after The final investment decision for the project In March 2025, MODEC hired Sumitomo Corporation To work on the FPSO module structure in April 2025.
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