Meeting takes place in the run-up to the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro
By Lt. Simone Rezende Brandão – Niterói, RJ
On the occasion of the meeting of the foreign ministers of the G20 member countries, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Minister David Cameron was on board the Multipurpose Aerodrome Ship (NAM) “Atlântico” on a protocol visit, this Thursday (22), at the Rio de Janeiro Navy Arsenal.
The Minister was received by the Fleet Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Paulo César Bittencourt Ferreira, and toured the ship’s facilities, including the hangar, deck, gangway and medical complex. In his farewell greetings to the Commander of the Surface Force, Rear Admiral Alexandre Bessa de Oliveira, and the Commander of the NAM “Atlântico”, Captain Eugenio Campos Huguenin, the minister mentioned to those present, including the UK Ambassador to Brazil, Stephanie Al-Qaq, the positive memories he has of a visit in 2012 to the city of Plymouth, in the south of England, during his time as Prime Minister. That was the occasion when he visited the then HMS Ocean, the name the ship bore before it was incorporated into the Brazilian Navy in 2018.
Regarding the visit, the Fleet Commander-in-Chief highlighted the importance of diplomatic relations and the recognition of Brazil’s naval capabilities. “The Minister’s presence on board the Fleet Captain highlights bilateral collaboration, strengthening ties between Brazil and the United Kingdom, as well as representing a unique international recognition of the Navy as a force capable and ready to operate in the most diverse Theaters of Operations,” he said.
The G20
The G20 (Group of 20) is an international economic cooperation forum created in 1999 in response to the economic crises of that decade. The group brings together the world’s 19 main economies, the European Union and, more recently, the African Union, with the aim of strengthening the international economy and discussing issues related to global socio-economic development.
Brazil is one of the group’s members and took over the temporary presidency of the G20 in an unprecedented way in December last year.
The Multipurpose Aerodrome Ship Atlântico
The NAM “Atlântico”, the Fleet’s flagship, is designed to control maritime areas and project power over land, sea and air. It is also used for humanitarian missions, helping victims of natural disasters, evacuating personnel and peacekeeping operations.
Originally named HMS Ocean, it was built in England in the 1990s and commissioned in September 1998, operating from HMNB Devonport in Plymouth. In 2018, it was incorporated into the Brazilian Navy, when it was renamed the Multipurpose Helicopter Carrier “Atlântico”. On November 12, 2020, it was reclassified as a “Multipurpose Aerodrome Ship”, due to its ability to operate with remotely piloted aircraft.
Source: Agência Marinha de Notícias