Historic vessel refloated at the Port of Santos and advances toward removal after capsizing

The vessel had been partially submerged since March 13, when it listed (capsized) in front of Parque Valongo, at the Port of Santos (APS/Disclosure)

The refloating operation of the oceanographic vessel Professor W. Besnard was successfully completed on Monday (15), according to the Autoridade Portuária de Santos (APS). The vessel had been partially submerged since March 13, when it listed (capsized) in front of Parque Valongo, at the Port of Santos.

This Wednesday (17), the vessel is expected to undergo a stability assessment to ensure it can be safely towed to a shipyard located on the Left Bank, in Guarujá. The operation is being carried out by Marfort Serviços Marítimos Ltda, a company hired on an emergency basis by APS, without a public bidding process, under a contract valued at BRL 8.6 million.

“The salvage operation of the oceanographic vessel Prof. W. Besnard has reached an important milestone with the recovery of the vessel’s buoyancy condition. The vessel remains under continuous technical monitoring for the assessment of its stability and structural integrity, which are necessary steps before defining the next phases of the operation”, the Port Authority stated in an official note.

APS signed the contract with Marfort on March 27, with a term of six months. The scope of services includes salvage, stabilization, refloating, and removal operations. The contract summary was published in the March 31 edition of the Diário Oficial da União (DOU).

History

The vessel was used for 40 years by the Instituto Oceanográfico of the Universidade de São Paulo (USP) in more than 150 expeditions to Antarctica, among other oceanographic missions. However, it has been out of service since 2008.

In 2016, the Prefeitura de Ilhabela received ownership of the vessel from USP but lacked the financial resources required for its refurbishment, leading to a legal dispute. In July 2023, the court ordered the municipal administration of the Northern Coast city to dismantle the vessel due to environmental risks and its lack of seaworthiness.

A conciliation hearing held in November 2023, with the consent of the Ministério Público de São Paulo (MPSP), suspended the obligations imposed on Ilhabela, and the vessel was transferred to the Instituto do Mar.

Without leaving Santos, the vessel was moored at Parque Valongo in 2024 and underwent repairs to its exterior structure. Instituto do Mar has been seeking funding for its full restoration.