MODEC’s Brazil-bound FPSO hull on its way to China for integration work

July 2, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

Japan’s MODEC has tucked a construction milestone under its belt for a floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel, with the completion of the forward hull section, which left Japan and is en route to China, where it will be integrated with the aft hull section. Once all the pieces of the FPSO are in place, the vessel will be deployed at a field offshore Brazil, operated by the Brazilian subsidiary of the UK-headquartered energy giant Shell.

Forward section of MODEC’s next generation full for the FPSO Gato do Mato sets sail for China; Source: MODEC

The forward section of MODEC’s hull for the FPSO Gato do Mato has departed Sumitomo Heavy Industries (SHI-ME) Yokosuka shipyard in Japan and is being transported to China, where it will be integrated with the aft hull section currently under construction before the full hull progresses to the next phase.

Soichi Ide, Head of Floating Production Solutions Business Unit at MODEC, commented: “This milestone is more than the completion of a major hull section. It demonstrates how innovation and collaboration are shaping the future of FPSO delivery.

“By partnering with SHI-ME on FPSO hull construction for the first time and adopting a multi-yard construction model, we are pioneering a new approach to hull fabrication that expands execution flexibility and strengthens our global delivery capabilities.”

The Japanese giant highlights that the multi-yard construction model enables parallel fabrication, optimizes yard capacity, and enhances project execution while maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety.

The project is the first to feature MODEC’s next-generation hull (NGH) design, developed to enhance constructability, scalability, improve execution efficiency and support the delivery of increasingly complex offshore developments.

“Combined with our NGH design, this project reflects our commitment to continuously pushing boundaries, embracing new partnerships and delivering smarter, more resilient solutions for our clients,” added Ide.

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With a production capacity of approximately 120,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd), the FPSO Gato do Mato will be moored at around 2,000-meter water depth, approximately 200 kilometers south of Rio de Janeiro, using a SOFEC spread mooring system.

This FPSO will be the 19th FPSO/FSO to be developed by MODEC in Brazil and the second unit to be delivered directly to Shell for operation in the Orca field, which is being carried out by this energy giant and Ecopetrol, with PPSA participating as the production sharing contract (PSC) manager.

The project, situated in the Santos Basin, is a pre-salt gas-condensate discovery that spans two contiguous blocks: BM-S-54, a concession contract entered into by Shell in 2005, and Sul de Gato do Mato, a production sharing agreement obtained in 2017.

Following the final investment decision for the project in March 2025, MODEC hired Sumitomo to work on the hull of the FPSO unit in April 2025.

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