The old aircraft carrier São Paulo returns to Brazil

After being banned from crossing the Strait of Gibraltar and entering Turkish territorial waters, the tug carrying the aircraft carrier NAe São Paulo hull has turned around and is returning to Brazil.

According to data from ship tracking platform Marine Traffic, the former flagship of the Brazilian Navy is expected to arrive in Rio de Janeiro on October 2.

The return of the deactivated aircraft carrier is a determination of IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources).

At the end of August, the Brazilian agency accepted the Turkish government’s complaint about the lack of a detailed inventory of the amount of toxic materials on board the ship, especially asbestos.

It canceled the authorization allowing the ship to be dismantled in the port of Aliaga, Turkey.

Acquired as scrap by Brazilian representatives of the Turkish shipyard Sok Denizcilikve Tic in March 2021 for US$2 million, aircraft carrier NAe São Paulo began its journey to Turkey on August 4.

The entry of the ship into Turkish territory, however, was conditioned to the submission of the report of toxic substances present on the ship, which the Turkish authorities had required in contact with the Brazilian government since August 9.

Without a response, the permit for the vessel to enter the country’s coasts, issued on May 30, was revoked.

The tug carrying the aircraft carrier began its return to Brazil when it was off the northern coast of Morocco, near the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, which gives access to the Mediterranean Sea.

The convoy was initially scheduled to arrive in Turkey on September 11. There is still no information on where the airship hull will be re-moored in Rio de Janeiro.

With information from Edefa