Brazilian Navy approves removal plan for historic vessel at Port of Santos

The Brazilian Navy’s 8th Naval District approved on Friday, April 24, the removal plan for the Prof. W. Besnard, submitted by the company hired on an emergency basis by the Santos Port Authority. The vessel listed at the Port of Santos on March 13.

The salvage plan calls for the gradual restoration of the vessel’s buoyancy through internal drainage and other measures. Once the ship is in suitable condition, it is expected to be moved to a shipyard, where the possibility of restoration will be assessed.

Recovery work on the Prof. W. Besnard has been under way since March 31, including diver inspections, cleaning and sealing of the hull. The case has been treated as a priority since the incident, with a focus on navigational safety and environmental protection.

Although the vessel belongs to the Sea Institute, to which it was donated after years of service with the University of São Paulo in Antarctic research, the Santos Port Authority assumed responsibility in light of the emergency declared by the local port captaincy.

The Prof. W. Besnard is considered one of the symbols of Brazilian oceanography. The ship took part in Brazil’s first expedition to Antarctica and carried out dozens of scientific missions over its lifetime, reinforcing its historical and institutional significance.

Source: Porto de Santos

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