The odyssey of the aircraft carrier São Paulo, the largest ship ever operated by Brazil

The hull of the NAe São Paulo, the Brazilian aircraft carrier and flagship that the Navy decommissioned in 2017 and sold for US$1.9 million to the Turkish shipyard Sok Denizcilikve Tic., returned to Brazilian territorial waters after being denied entry into the Mediterranean Sea with final destination Turkey for dismantlement.

The largest ship ever operated by Brazil left the Rio de Janeiro Naval Arsenal on Aug. 4.

It was towed by the Dutch-flagged Alp Centre.

However, as soon as it reached Moroccan waters, it was banned from entering the Mediterranean Sea for the last leg of its journey for legal reasons.

The ship’s situation worsened when the Turkish Environmental Protection Agency banned it from entering the country between its departure from Rio and its enforced stopover in Morocco.

The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources sent the ship back to Brazil after some environmental organizations denounced the illegal export of toxic waste.

Before the ship began its journey, it sparked controversy in Turkey because it posed a health risk.

Neighboring Greece also feared that the Turkish government could use the former Brazilian aircraft carrier for military purposes.

For the Brazilian Navy, the sale of the hull of the old aircraft carrier was a great relief.

De Turkish shipyard, the rightful owner of the ship, is in a very complicated situation.

Nobody knows what is going to happen to the former flagship of Brazil.

THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER

The São Paulo was acquired by the French Navy in 2000.

It was named Foch and was 43 years old with almost 40 years of active service.

The ship had a brief period of service in the Brazilian Navy, where it suffered a series of mishaps and experienced a serious accident that resulted in death.

Originally, the Navy planned to modernize and overhaul the carrier to preserve its capacity to operate the A-4KU Skyhawk shipboard fighter, of which Embraer has modernized six units.

Like the São Paulo, the A-4KU came to Brazil after more than thirty years in service.

These fighters, remnants of the Kuwaiti Air Force, fought in the first Gulf War of 1991, when they were considered obsolete.

The carrier’s problems and the A-4KU’s limitations were instrumental in Brazil reconsidering its priorities and deciding to permanently retire the São Paulo.

Brazil now has an aircraft carrier-class amphibious assault ship, NAM Atlantic, with which the Navy can sustain its air force.

The former HMS Ocean was 20 years old when it was sold to Brazil by the British Royal Navy, having undergone an extensive modernization program years earlier.

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