“DEPORTEX- LE II/2024” was held between December 3 and 6
By Marine Ranger (RM2-T) Janaína Casanova
The Brazilian Navy, through the Command of the 2nd Naval District (Com2ºDN), carried out a military exercise called Operation “DEPORTEX- LE II/2024” at the facilities of the Port of Salvador, from December 3 to 6. The exercise, which took place in the maritime area and on land, aimed to train the Force in Port Defense and involved the participation of around 200 military personnel and six vessels.
The Port Defense Operation aims to prevent or neutralize attacks against a port or anchorage and its accesses. The exercise was carried out in conjunction with the Bahia Port Authority – Companhia das Docas do Estado da Bahia (CODEBA), the Port Guard and Bahia Pilotage.
“The operation is important because of the concern for safety and the coordination of various institutions in favor of a safe port, updating our Force’s defense plans together. We simulated situations that could occur on a daily basis, without altering the port’s operations,” said the Commander of the 2nd Naval District, Vice-Admiral Antonio Carlos Cambra, who also highlighted the strategic location of the Salvador Marine Group for port defense.
This was the second “DEPORTEX” in 2024. In March, the exercise took place at the facilities of the Cotegipe Port Terminal (TPC), a strategic port for grain exports, located in the Bay of All Saints. This time, it took place in the Port of Salvador, which is strategically important for Bahia and Brazil, both in terms of tourism and the economy.
For the Captain of the Ports of Bahia, Captain Wellington Lemos Gagno, “DEPORTEX” requires detailed planning on the part of all the military organizations subordinate to the Com2ºDN in Salvador, as well as coordination with the Port Guard, which already provides daily protection.
“The most important thing is to acquire knowledge about the port in a situation of peace, so that in the event of a real need we can be ready to act more quickly,” he said.
Participating in “DEPORTEX” were military personnel from the Com2ºDN, the Aratu Naval Base, the Bahia Port Captaincy, the Navy Intelligence Center in Salvador, the Mining and Sweeping Force Command, the Navy Radio Station in Salvador, the Salvador Marine Group, the Eastern Naval Patrol Group and the Eastern Nautical Signaling Service, as well as the “Gravataí” patrol ship and speedboats from the Bahia Port Captaincy and the Eastern Naval Patrol Group.
The Port of Salvador
The Port of Salvador currently plays a decisive role in the national economy, excelling in the handling of containers, general cargo, wheat, cellulose and fruit, benefiting, among other factors, from its strategic position in relation to the European continent and Mercosur.
As well as Bahia, its area of influence includes the north of Minas Gerais, Sergipe, Alagoas, Pernambuco, Paraíba, Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará. It is also one of the main destinations for cruise ship routes along the Brazilian coast.
In recent years, the Port of Salvador has received investments in its infrastructure, such as the Expressway, which connects the BR-324 highway, the dredging of its access channel, the construction of the new maritime passenger terminal, the purchase of new equipment for the container terminal and the modernization of the wheat reception structure.
“We were very pleased to see the exercise being carried out in the Port of Salvador. We planned it together to make it as real as possible. This way, we can train together, ensuring that we are increasingly prepared in the event of a real situation,” said CODEBA’s CEO, Antonio Gobbo.
Source: Agência Marinha de Notícias