Rolls-Royce has been awarded a £15m ($21.7m) contract to supply propulsion and control systems for seven offshore vessels being built in Brazil.

The company said the vessels will be used to transport supplies and equipment between oil and gas installations and the mainland.

Four vessels, ordered by the Brazilian shipping company Companhia Brasileira de Offshore (CBO), will be constructed at Alianca South America.

The remaining vessels will be built at STX Promar.

The contract also calls for the supply of AZP thrusters and transverse thrusters, as well as control and automation systems for dynamic positioning for the CBO vessels, the company said.

Rolls-Royce said the deliveries will begin in the second half of 2010.