First polar ship built in Brazil has already generated 600 direct jobs and 6,000 indirect jobs
By First Lieutenant (T) Ohana Gonçalves – Aracruz, ES
The Brazilian Navy (MB) has taken an important step in the construction of the “Almirante Saldanha” Polar Ship (NPo) by holding the ship’s keel-laying ceremony today (17) at the Jurong Aracruz Shipyard in Espírito Santo. In naval tradition, this event is characterized by the positioning of one of the ship’s blocks, which is part of its “backbone”, and the placing of the coin in the structure that corresponds to the ship’s keel. Symbolically, it’s a way of bringing luck to the vessel being built.
The event was attended by the Minister of Defense, José Mucio Monteiro; the Commander of the Navy, Admiral Marcos Sampaio Olsen; the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Admiral Renato Rodrigues de Aguiar Freire; and the CEO of the Naval Projects Management Company (EMGEPRON), Vice Admiral (IM) Edesio Teixeira Lima Júnior. Also present were the Head of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore, Desmond NG; Seatrium’s Executive Vice-President for the Americas, Marlin Khiew; the CEO of the Polar 1 Special Purpose Company, Thangavelu Guhan; the Vice-Governor of Espírito Santo, Ricardo Ferraço; and the Mayor of Aracruz, Luiz Carlos Coutinho.
The Minister of Defense expressed his satisfaction at being able to accompany an important stage of yet another project carried out by the Brazilian Navy, with a high level of management capacity and entrepreneurial spirit. “Today I have the privilege of attending this traditional keel-laying ceremony of the Polar Ship ‘Almirante Saldanha’, whose construction is carried out with great pride on Brazilian soil and also represents investments in our country. This is an example of the Brazil that I believe in and that works”.
The Director General of Navy Material, Admiral Arthur Fernando Bettega Corrêa, spoke about the expectations surrounding the ship. “We hope to see it soon operating in the waters of the Antarctic region and in the country as a whole. The Navy and EMGEPRON are working together to supervise and govern the project, which follows good program management practices and provides for the studies and planning needed to manage the ship’s life cycle and integrated logistical support.”
For EMGEPRON’s CEO, Admiral Edesio, promoting the naval industry contributes to the country’s development. “With the construction of the Tamandaré Class Frigates in Itajaí and the ‘Almirante Saldanha’ Polar Ship here at the Jurong Aracruz Shipyard, we are being led by a third wave of expectations and opportunities for operational, technological, logistical and industrial leverage with direct repercussions on the Brazilian economic matrix, which will result in a considerable multiplier effect on the economy.”
Seatrium’s CEO stressed that this is a new chapter in the company’s history, which reinforces its commitment to scientific research, sustainability and the shared responsibility of protecting and preserving the environment. “In partnership with the Brazilian Navy, we are proud to be at the forefront of this venture. The polar ship we are building will be a beacon of scientific progress and international collaboration. This project is not just about building a ship, it’s about building bridges between nations, between areas of knowledge and between the present and the future,” he said.
POLAR SHIPConducted by MB since 2019, executed by Polar 1 and managed by EMGEPRON, the project will culminate in the construction, for the first time in Brazil, of a ship capable of operating in the icy waters of the Antarctic region. Delivery of the NPo “Almirante Saldanha” is scheduled for 2025.
The ship will be around 103 meters long, with a hangar for 2 medium-sized aircraft, a 70-day autonomy and a crew of 95, including 26 researchers. During the construction phase, 600 direct jobs and 6,000 indirect jobs have already been created, in addition to promoting the Brazilian naval industry and the national technological base.
The “Almirante Saldanha” NPo model brings together the most advanced naval technology, providing for construction using blocks, which are made separately and then joined together to form the ship. This makes it possible to install fittings and foundations in advance; to make it easier to place equipment on board; and to allow work to be carried out in different stages in a segregated manner.
The NPo “Almirante Saldanha” will replace the Oceanographic Support Vessel “Ary Rongel”. It will have improved capabilities, making it possible to: reduce the time needed to resupply the Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station (EACF), with the addition of modern cranes with greater load and maneuvering capacity to the new ship; increase safety when the ship approaches the beach to disembark material and personnel, due to the sophisticated navigation and control systems; and expand the area that can be visited by researchers, including the ocean and land regions.
PROHIDROThe construction of the Polar Vessel is part of the Program for the Procurement of Hydroceanographic and Antarctic Support Resources (PROHIDRO), which provides for the procurement of hydroceanographic vessels to be used in the Blue Amazon and in polar waters so that the MB can carry out its duties relating to hydrographic, oceanographic, meteorological, cartographic and nautical signaling activities, guaranteeing support for the application of Naval Power, as well as providing transport and logistics support for the EACF. Among the expected gains from the initiative are improved collection of marine geospatial data in Brazilian jurisdictional waters and international waters of interest to the country, improved effectiveness of navigation aids and support for national research in the marine environment.
Source: Agência Marinha de Notícias