The decommissioned aircraft carrier NAe So Paulo will be carefully sunk in Brazilian waters, according to the Brazilian Navy's confirmation. They will not reveal the exact time or location, but it is anticipated that they will move quickly after advising that the vessel was in serious danger of losing stability and buoyancy and overcoming a last-minute obstacle when a court rejected a potential injunction to stop the sinking. All of this is taking place as the Turkish scrappers and Brazilian authorities engage in a verbal dispute.
In a joint statement with the nation's Attorney General and Ministry of Defense, the Navy said that the hull's severe deterioration made it impossible to make repairs and that the ship would sink. The Navy insists that the goal of their efforts is to stop an uncontrolled sinking of the country's former flagship, which was retired in 2018.
The location of the sinking was chosen because it is still within Brazil's Exclusive Economic Zone, but it is not in any environmentally protected areas, there are no known submarine cables there, and it won't affect projects like wind farms. The hulk had previously been moved by the Navy to a depth of more than 16,400 feet in the ocean, more than 215 miles off the coast.
"It is impossible to adopt any other course of action other than jettisoning the hull, through the planned and controlled sinking," they wrote in the joint statement, "in view of the facts presented and the growing risk involved in the towing task due to the deterioration of the hull's buoyancy conditions and the inevitability of spontaneous/uncontrolled sinking."
While the Brazilian Institute of the Environment (Ibama) has written about the risk of serious environmental damage, Brazil's Environment Minister Marina Silva requested that the Navy consider alternative plans. In order for the original plan for green recycling to proceed, they have advocated for the docking and repair of the vessel as well as the resolution of concerns regarding pollutants aboard.
The Federal Public Ministry (MPF) and the Public Prosecutor's office from the state of Pernambuco went to court yesterday in the belief that the sinking was imminent, possibly on February 1. However, the court denied that the injunction could be issued. According to reports, the groups were evaluating the feasibility of an appeal.
Turkey and the scrappers were blamed for the Navy's statement, which claimed that Turkey had attempted to do the right thing by arranging for green recycling. After the vessel had been in transit for 22 days, they claimed that Turkey "unilaterally withdrew consent." They claimed that the Turkish buyer was now in charge of the vessel following the tender and sale. Even though the Navy took control of the vessel on January 20, 2023, they argue that Sok Denizcilik, which purchased the hulk in 2021, is still responsible for the NAe So Paulo.
A new survey was conducted in January, according to the Navy, "Faced with the owner's inertia in meeting the requirements determined by the AMB (the Brazilian Maritime Authority), and the imminent possibility of abandoning the hull at sea." This survey revealed that 21 of the vessel's compartments are compromised and that the hull is rapidly decaying with the increased intrusion of water. They say that the Turkish companies let the P&I insurance lapse because they couldn't get a port and repair contract when the ship got back to Brazil.
In a statement, Sok claimed it had acted responsibly and had a long history of environmentally friendly recycling. It laid the blame on the Brazilians. They argue that the Brazilian Navy and all ports and shipyards that were able to take the ship turned it down despite being offered full payment in advance. They point out that the previous carrier was towed in circles for a hundred days off the coast of Brazil. According to Sok, on January 6, 2023, the insurance company decided not to renew the policy because the situation was uncertain.
Environmentalists contend that the French-built carrier, the Foch, sister ship to the Clemenceau, is highly contaminated with asbestos, PCBs, and other potential pollutants. They claimed that the sinking was a violation of international agreements, but the Navy is expected to begin the process of sinking the NAe So Paulo as soon as today, barring any last-minute delays. This would bring an end to the situation that began in August 2022, when the vessel was towed out of Rio de Janeiro.
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