Delivery of the Antarctic Support Ship is planned for 2025
By Lieutenant-Captain (RM2-T) Luciano Franklin de Carvalho – Brasília, DF
The first cutting of the hull plate of the Antarctic Support Vessel (NApAnt) “Almirante Saldanha” was carried out this Tuesday (09), at the Jurong Aracruz Shipyard, located in Aracruz-ES. The action marks the beginning of the construction of the new ship of the Brazilian Navy that will operate in the Antarctic Continent.
The cut steel plate will be used to manufacture the first of a series of 12 blocks that, once joined together, will form the ship’s hull and superstructure. The new vessel will replace and carry out the same missions as the Oceanographic Support Vessel “Ary Rongel”, but with improved capabilities to meet the requirements of supporting the new Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station (EACF), the Brazilian scientific base located on King George Island. In this way, it will increase the country’s participation in the decision processes about the destiny of that region.
Equipped with modern and sophisticated systems, the NApAnt “Almirante Saldanha” will provide greater capacity to support the activities of the Brazilian Antarctic Program (PROANTAR), whose objective is to promote diversified, high-quality scientific research in the Antarctic region, the origin of natural phenomena that affect the national territory and influence agriculture, livestock farming, and fishing activities.
The ship will be 103.16 meters long, 18.5 meters wide, with a draught of 6.3 meters and a displacement of 6,804 tons. With diesel-electric propulsion, it will be able to accommodate a crew of 95 people, including 26 researchers. Its construction is expected to generate about 600 direct and 6,000 indirect jobs, in addition to promoting the local industry and naval construction in the country.