Releases

Petrobras signs new O&M contract with Forship until mid-2030 The Forship Group was selected by Petrobras to be responsible for the operation, maintenance and engineering services for the utilities of the Natural Gas Processing Unit (UPGN) of the Boaventura Energy Complex, in Itaboraí (RJ), where it has been operating since July 2020. “We were the only technical proposal that met all the technical requirements and Petrobras’ budget,” says Marco Kronemberger, Forship Group’s Operations Director. The current contract runs until June 2025, when the new one begins. “In four and a half years, 1,640 days without an accident, we have worked more than 10 million hours in high-risk areas such as: gas, electricity, working at heights, confined spaces, fumes and chemicals. We are overcoming all the difficulties,” celebrated Kronemberger. He notes that there have been practically no changes to the scope of the new contract, however, due to the start of commercial operation of the UPGN, all Utility units are required 24 hours / 7 days a week. Uninterrupted operation “Working on a contract basis is to carry out maintenance and operate continuously 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with a minimum team of professionals, as established by Petrobras. Undoubtedly, it is a very big challenge, with penalties if any of the contract utilities become unavailable. It is a complex contract,” analyzes Kronemberger. He explains that keeping Brazil’s largest UPGN in continuous operation, with a capacity to process 21,000m³/day, is essential, because if the utility were to shut down, this would impact several platforms in production in the pre-salt, operated by national and foreign oil companies in consortium with Petrobras. “Keeping industrial plants in operation, guaranteeing their safety and efficiency, is always a challenge, not least because unscheduled stoppages, which interrupt commercial supply, can directly interfere with our client’s image,” he points out. “The challenges are to keep a motivated team in compliance with the contract, with no accidents and to invest continuously in training and qualification,” he adds. Continuous learning The Forship Group’s Project Manager, Yoshiyuki Ohara, notes that the lessons learned from one contract are always useful for another, even if they are different plants. “Working in various areas – mining, O&G, energy, etc. – we have the privilege of getting to know different cultures, which enables us to learn differently. In addition, we have strong experience in the O&M of large operating and production units, and we currently have six contracts of this type,” he says. “In other words, we are recognized as a highly qualified company in O&M, capable of winning new contracts in this area,” he concludes.

In more than 25 years of operation, the Forship Group has not only consolidated expertise in each of the areas in which it operates, but has also demonstrated excellence in the execution of services. What is more, it has formed a valuable team of professionals from different backgrounds, qualified to work in the most diverse scenarios and overcome challenges. It is this perfect equation that qualifies us today as one of the Brazilian companies with recognized expertise in key areas such as commissioning engineering, operation and maintenance (O&M), BRC (Regulatory Support) and HMSWeb licensing, among others. Our qualifications, excellence and human capital prepared to face challenges have enabled us, once again, to win another O&M contract for an emblematic Petrobras project, the Utilities project at the Boaventura Energy Complex, in Itaboraí (RJ), in which we have been working since July 2020. By submitting the only technical proposal that met all of Petrobras’ technical and budgetary requirements, the Forship Group once again demonstrated its ability to offer a complete solution to clients in the various markets in which it operates. And the company’s vocation to add value and maximize results for everyone involved in a project. By adding up, we make a difference. Fabio FaresPresident and CEO of Forship Group

As the year comes to an end, Grupo Forship has prepared a robust schedule for the 2024 Internal Workplace Accident Prevention Week (SIPAT), taking place from November 11 to 18. SIPAT brings important topics to the forefront, aligned with the ESG pillar (Environmental, Social, and Governance), reinforcing the company’s commitment to the health and safety of the community. The program includes awareness campaigns on the importance of prevention and early diagnosis of breast cancer (Pink October) and prostate cancer (Blue November), as well as discussions and reflections on employee health and well-being, which also impact their families. 📅 Schedule:🔹 11/11 – Infant First Aid🔹 12/11 – Elderly Care🔹 13/11 – Women’s Reproductive Health🔹 14/11 – Blue November🔹 18/11 – Traffic Safety

The use of drones is another technology adopted by the Forship Group in offshore projects. Forship is implementing drone inspections for equipment to enhance its operations in the offshore environment. “Drone inspections enable us to issue integrity reports for platforms more quickly and subsequently open maintenance orders for services such as boilerwork, welding, or painting. Additionally, we eliminate the exposure of our staff to risks, reducing rope access and scaffolding activities,” says Operations Director Marco Antonio Kronemberger. “The main objective is to ensure the integrity of installations with speed and quality in the services provided,” adds the executive, noting that the Forship Group currently has 25 unmanned fixed platforms under contract. “Sometimes, we cannot access them due to oceanographic conditions. However, drones can be launched from a barge and perform equipment inspections onboard the platform,” he explains. Vision “We have already conducted some tests with the inspection of oil well valves. In the offshore environment, we will capture images of various equipment installed on the topside of platforms, such as crane booms, floors, pipelines, railings, etc., to assess the condition of the equipment for future maintenance evaluations,” explains Project Manager Hudson Azevedo. He emphasizes that the main advantage is the ability to access hard-to-reach areas that would otherwise require scaffolding or rope access (climbers), as well as launching drones from support vessels, eliminating the need for human access to the platform. Director Marco Antonio Kronemberger envisions the use of drones in other projects as well. “We could use drones at the São Paulo LNG Regasification Terminal (TRSP) to conduct inspections along the 8-km pipeline easement between the terminal in Santos Bay and the custody transfer point in Cubatão,” he concludes.

HMSWeb© is the corporate tool for two flagship mining projects in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. HMSWeb Tecnologia da Informação is further expanding its project portfolio with Vale, with which it has a corporate contract for configuring and licensing the HMSWeb© – Handover Management System. The fully digital solution from the Forship Group company, which facilitates the management, control, certification, and verification of all commissioning-related activities, will be used in two of the mining company’s flagship projects. MORE EFFICIENT, SAFE, AND SUSTAINABLE One of the contracts pertains to the plants at the Cauê Mine in Itabira (MG), where Vale is employing New Steel technology to enable the dry magnetic concentration of low-grade ores – that is, without using water. The Brazilian technology, known by the English acronym FDMS (Fines Dry Magnetic Separation), is unique worldwide. The pilot plant was inaugurated in 2022 in Minas Gerais, with a capacity to concentrate 30 tons per hour of dry ore using magnetic separation technology via rare earth magnets. Vale is expected to invest USD 1.8 billion in incorporating this technology into its operations in Minas Gerais. With New Steel, Vale estimates that by 2024, 70% of its production will be beneficiated dry or with natural moisture, without adding water in the beneficiation process and without using tailings dams. REDUCTION IN CO2 EMISSIONS HMSWeb© will serve as the commissioning management tool for the implementation of the briquette beneficiation plants at the Tubarão unit in Vitória (ES). At the end of last year, Vale inaugurated the world’s first iron ore briquette plant. The Vale project at Tubarão, with two briquette units, will have a capacity to produce 6 million tons per year (MTPA) of briquettes, derived from the conversion of Pelletizing Plants 1 and 2. The new product, developed by Vale, reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in blast furnaces by up to 10%, and in the future could enable zero-emission steel production when green hydrogen becomes available. In addition to reducing particulate emissions and gases such as sulfur dioxide (SOX) and nitrogen oxides (NOX), the briquette eliminates the need for water in its production and can be used in the direct reduction route, replacing pellets. “These two contracts further strengthen our partnership with Vale, which has lasted over a decade. Today, we have no fewer than 32 active contracts with Vale,” highlights Luciano Gaete, Director of HMSWeb Tecnologia da Informação.

Grupo Forship has successfully passed the external audit conducted by Bureau Veritas for the maintenance of certifications in the ISO/IEC 27000 family (Information Security Management System) and SGI (ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001). The initial certification for ISO 27001 (Information Security Management System), ISO 27018 (Protection of Personal Data in the Cloud), and ISO 27701 (Privacy and Data Protection) was obtained a year ago. Now, with zero non-conformities (NC) in this external audit, Grupo Forship has also achieved ISO 27017 (Information Security in Cloud Services), thus completing the set of key Information Security standards. “We are proud to be certified in ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, and ISO 27701, reflecting our ongoing commitment to data security and privacy,” said Luciano Gaete, Director of HMSWeb Information Technology. “These certifications ensure that our clients, employees, and suppliers can trust our robust processes to protect sensitive information, reinforcing our position as a leader in the industry and our dedication to excellence in information security,” concluded the executive. The Integrated Management System maintenance audit, which covers ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 standards, resulted in three minor non-conformities, with the necessary corrective actions already addressed to the certifier.

SafeEx and HMSWeb Complete Pilot Project at TRSP Forship Group and SafeEx have completed a pilot project at the São Paulo Regasification Terminal (TRSP), where over 50 explosion-risk equipment items were inspected, resulting in a detailed report on the work performed for the client. “The work was carried out by a team consisting of an EX inspection specialist familiar with SafeEx software, and our HMSWeb implementation and support consultant, Eduardo Neira. With this experience, our team is now equipped to support the SafeEx product, while also identifying our points of synergy and complementarity with HMSWeb®. We will begin providing the first level of technical support for SafeEx products in the region,” said Luciano Gaete, Director of HMSWeb Tecnologia da Informação. Since 2022, Forship Group has been the commercial partner for SafeEx in Brazil and Latin America. SafeEx offers a software platform (SafeEx Cloud) specialized in the management of inspections and maintenance for explosion-risk equipment, known as Ex equipment. “The partnership is mutually beneficial: just as we seek opportunities for SafeEx in our market, our partner opens doors for HMSWeb® in other markets, particularly Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania,” adds the executive. The partnership also aims to strengthen and differentiate the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) services provided by Forship Group. “We now have a demonstration showcase for SafeEx in Brazil, and we are building a knowledge base about the product and EX inspections. This involves not only the IT support team but also the project and O&M engineering teams,” explains Luciano Gaete SafeEx operates as a SaaS (Software as a Service), providing its solutions over the Internet as a service. Forship Group licenses SafeEx’s product (in the SaaS model) and assumes responsibility for local customer implementation, training, and support. “We also aim to offer specialized inspection services for this type of equipment, providing not only the software but also specialized engineering services for Ex equipment, similar to how we provide HMSWeb + commissioning engineering services from Forship,” concludes the HMSWeb director.

From pre-commissioning and commissioning to regulatory compliance assurance, Forship Group ensures the third Mero unit’s direct deployment to the Santos Basin. The Forship Group’s partnership with MISC Berhad, one of the world’s largest FPSO/FSO owners and operators, is further cemented by another landmark project: the FPSO Marechal Duque de Caxias. This unit will enhance the installed production capacity of the Mero field to 590,000 barrels per day when it begins operation in the second half of the year. Since September 2021, Forship Group has been involved in this project, completing the regulatory support services for this FPSO, in addition to pre-commissioning and commissioning. Teams have worked simultaneously in Brazil and China, where the third floating production, storage, and offloading unit for the Mero field’s definitive development, operated by Petrobras in the Libra block, was built. “This project is special for the group because we sought and obtained all necessary certifications and licenses from Brazilian authorities while still in China. This is a significant differentiator, as units typically need to go through additional processes upon arrival in Brazil before being deployed,” highlights Danilo Martins, Regulatory Compliance Coordinator at Forship Group. “This demonstrates our commitment to regulatory compliance and our ability to anticipate and meet all necessary requirements effectively and efficiently, surpassing standard industry practices,” he affirms. According to Martins, the major challenge was the complexity of the work, as it was necessary to meet all requirements of Brazil’s extensive regulations while the unit was being completed abroad. This involved managing teams with cultural differences, instructing foreign teams on Brazilian regulations, and overcoming communication barriers due to the language differences in China. “It was also challenging to ensure strict adherence to all quality and safety standards without compromising the project timeline,” Martins adds. He assesses that the most significant positive impact of the BRC was the optimization of the schedule, eliminating delays, additional costs associated with subsequent certifications, and penalties from regulatory and supervisory agencies. “This further strengthens Forship Group’s reputation as a leader in regulatory compliance and operational efficiency, consolidating our position as a market benchmark and reinforcing clients’ confidence in our ability to deliver comprehensive, high-quality solutions,” he asserts Luciano Gaete, Director of HMSWeb Tecnologia da Informação, adds, “We also had another opportunity to enhance the visibility of our commissioning management software, HMSWeb© (Handover Management System), which was utilized by MISC in this project.” The Forship Group subsidiary provided management services for the pending tasks and preservation of eight modules supplied by Siemens for the FPSO Marechal Duque de Caxias. The contract scope included licensing and services for HMSWeb© configuration, training, and support. Chartered by Petrobras, MISC Berhad’s FPSO has a daily production capacity of 180,000 barrels of oil and can compress up to 12 million cubic meters of gas. By 2028, this FPSO is expected to receive Petrobras’s HISEP® technology, which allows for the separation of oil and gas on the ocean floor and pioneering CO2 reinjection. The unit also features other cutting-edge technologies to reduce emissions, including CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage) The Mero field has been in pre-production since 2017 through the FPSO Pioneiro de Libra and currently has two units of the definitive system in operation: FPSO Guanabara and FPSO Sepetiba, both with the same production capacity as the FPSO Duque de Caxias. The Libra Consortium is operated by Petrobras (40%) in partnership with Total (20%), Shell Brasil (20%), CNOOC Limited (10%), and CNPC (10%). Pré-Sal Petróleo (PPSA) manages the Production Sharing Contract for the Libra block.