BlueOOS liftboats Blue Kraken and Blue Penglai are heading from China to Brazil aboard COSCO’s semi-submersible heavy-lift vessel ZHI YUAN KOU, with arrival in Guanabara Bay expected on 24 September.
The two liftboats completed an extensive preparation period at the CIMC Raffles shipyard in Yantai before being loaded for the voyage to Brazil. BlueOOS had reported earlier this year that both units had arrived at the Yantai yard.
Mobilisation Linked to Petrobras Contracts
The mobilisation is linked to contracts signed by Petrobras with OOS International B.V., in partnership with Camorim Serviços Marítimos, for two liftboat-type self-elevating vessels. The contracts, valued at R$ 1.2 billion, cover a three-year charter period and nautical operation and hotel services.
Petrobras identified the contracted units as Jin Hua 01 and Jin Hua 02. The liftboats will support maintenance and readiness work on fixed platforms scheduled for decommissioning in the Sergipe-Alagoas and Rio Grande do Norte-Ceará basins.
Conversion, Flag and Class Changes
The units were subsequently renamed Blue Kraken and Blue Penglai. Chinese industry reporting in July said the conversion work included accommodation modifications and reinstallation of a 300 t crane. The same report said the units changed from the Chinese to the Liberian flag and transferred class from China Classification Society to the American Bureau of Shipping.
Aviation Arrangements Completed in Brazil
Both units have also completed steps in Brazil associated with their offshore aviation arrangements. Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency, ANAC, registered the private-use helipad aboard Blue Kraken on 4 September 2026. The agency registered the helipad aboard Blue Penglai on 8 September.
ANAC records identify both units with the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin. Blue Kraken carries the helipad location indicator 9PMF, while Blue Penglai is registered as 9PMJ.
Vessel Specifications and Next Steps
BlueOOS lists Blue Kraken and Blue Penglai as sister liftboats designed to provide elevated working platforms for offshore activities. Petrobras said the contracted liftboats will carry personnel and equipment while providing maintenance and accommodation support, with operations at water depths of up to 48 m.
Following their expected arrival in Guanabara Bay on 24 September, Blue Kraken and Blue Penglai are set to proceed with the next stage of certification and contractual mobilisation in Brazil.
