The historic ship Professor W. Besnard, which capsized in the Port of Santos, will be removed from the water and taken to a shipyard for stabilization and repair.
The Professor W. Besnard, a historic ship that went partially submerged in the Port of Santos, is set for recovery after the incident on the night of Friday the 13th. The vessel, which has not been operational since 2008, was undergoing renovations after being donated to the Instituto do Mar (Imar) by the Ilhabela city government and was docked at the Parque Valongo pier. The ship tilted due to heavy rainwater accumulation in the canal.
The Santos Port Authority (APS) has announced that they will hire a specialized company to carry out the retrieval operation. Anderson Pomini, the APS president, stated that the process involves stabilizing the ship before it can be transported to a shipyard. APS aims to conduct a selection process to ensure they receive financially and technically sound proposals from registered companies with the Brazilian Navy to handle the operation safely.
This incident raises concerns regarding the preservation of historic maritime vessels and may prompt discussions about regulations and responsibilities for maintaining such ships in busy port areas. The effective recovery of the Professor W. Besnard is essential not only to restore the ship itself but also to uphold the legacy it represents in Brazilian maritime history.
