PortosRio leads efforts to remove abandoned vessels in Guanabara Bay

Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state port authority PortosRio is leading an important initiative in collaboration with the State Secretariat for Energy and Seaborne Economy, the Navy, and the State Institute for the Environment (Inea) to remove 51 abandoned vessels and hulls from the Guanabara Bay. This joint action aims to ensure safe navigation, prevent water pollution, and preserve the operational efficiency of the ports in Rio de Janeiro and Niterói. On Wednesday (17), the first vessel, measuring approximately 20 meters, was successfully removed near the port of Niterói.

Álvaro Savio, the director-president of PortosRio, recently assumed his role at the Port Authority and has committed to fulfilling this mission at the request of the Minister of Ports and Airports, Márcio França. Savio says, “Most of these vessels have been abandoned for decades, and we cannot delay any further. It is time to take action and definitively address this issue for the benefit of all crossers of Guanabara Bay to minimize risks to navigation and the environment.”

The Port Authority has conducted a comprehensive mapping of the vessels, and based on this information, the task force will establish a schedule for their removal later this semester. The process will begin with the smaller vessels and progress to the removal of larger vessels, which require more complex operations depending on their location and dimensions. The estimated timeline for completing all the work is approximately one and a half years.

All collected materials will be carefully cataloged and sorted. “Any salvageable items will be sent for recycling. Proper disposal under environmental regulations will be ensured,” explained Álvaro Savio.

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