MODEC, Inc. (MODEC) announces a significant milestone in the construction of its latest Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel with the successful completion of the forward hull section at Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.’s (SHI-ME) Yokosuka shipyard in Japan.

The completed forward hull section has departed Japan and is en route to China, where it will be integrated with the aft hull section currently under construction before the full hull progresses to the next phase.

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

“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,” said Soichi Ide, Head of Floating Production Solutions Business Unit, MODEC.

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.

The FPSO will have a production capacity of approximately 120,000 barrels of oil per day (BOPD). It will be moored at around 2,000-meter water depth approximately 200 kilometers south of Rio de Janeiro, using a SOFEC^® spread mooring system.

FPSO Gato do Mato will be the 19th FPSO/FSO to be developed by MODEC for Brazil. It will be the second unit to be delivered directly to Shell by MODEC for operation in the Orca Field, Brazil. Orca is being carried out through a partnership among Shell, as operator, and Ecopetrol, with PPSA participating as the Production Sharing Contract manager.