Built as a coastal submarine type 209/1400 by Arsenal de Marinha, Rio de Janeiro for the Brazilian Navy.
? Keel laid down.
05 June 1998 launched under the name TAPAJO (S33) one of the Tupi class of which four were built.
Displacement 1.400 tons surface, 1.550 tons submerged. Dim. 61 x 6.2 x 5.5m.
Powered diesel electric, four MTU 12V 493 AZ80 GAA31L diesel engines, 4.600 hp., given electric power to four Siemens alternators, one shaft, speed 10 knots surface, 24 knots submerged.
Armament, she is fitted out with 8 – 21 inch torpedo tubes, can carry 16 torpedoes
Crew 30.
16 November 1999 commissioned.
She is based at the Base Almirante Castro e Silva, Mocangue Island near Niteroi, just across the bay to the east of Rio de Janeiro.
The Tupi class is a German design and the lead ship the TUPI was built by the Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW), Kiel, Germany, while the other three were built by Arsenal de Marinha.
The Brazilian Post gives by these issues:
This issues of the Brazilian Enterprise of Post focuses on the launching of TAPAJO submarine, whose construction in Brazil represent the achievement of old aspirations of the Brazilian Navy.
A naval vessel’s launching is the crowning of many people’s effort, for the considerable amount of time used in its construction. Particularly, this task becomes even more complex when it comes to submarines, due to the high level of sophistication demanded. Therefore, the pride which takes up the team in-charge is fair, as they realize such an accomplishment for the Brazilian naval construction. This merit is better evaluated by counting the number of countries that are capable of building a submarine.
Besides the prestige within the international community, which can be detected in political and commercial credential to the Brazilian industry that is supported by its performance in the operation of the two similar submarines preceding TAPAJO (The German built is not counted).
Source: http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/americas/brazil.htm and some other web-sites.