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Brazilian Navy Discuss Recent Oil Spill

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The Brazilian Navy is the naval service branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces, responsible for conducting naval operations.

The Brazilian Navy is the largest navy in South America and in Latin America, and the second largest navy in the Americas, after the United States Navy.

Below is the recent statement given by the Brazilian Navy Authority:

“From the joint and coordinated work between the Brazilian Navy and the Federal Police, with the support of national and foreign institutions, it was possible to advance the investigations into the cause of the appearance of oil spills that reached the north-eastern shores, since August 30.

Studies carried out by the Navy Hydrography Centre, together with universities and research institutions, made it possible to determine an initial area of possible occurrence of oil disposal, guiding the initial research efforts.

From this initial area, and with data on maritime traffic obtained from the Integrated Maritime Safety Centre (CISMAR), the Brazilian Navy reached a number of 1,100 vessels, with a subsequent refinement of 30 tankers.

At the same time, the Federal Police (PF), through geo-intelligence, identified a satellite image of July 29, related to an oil spill located 733.2 km (about 395 nautical miles) east of the state of Paraiba. This image was compared with images from earlier dates where no spots were identified.

The oil collected on the shore of the north-eastern coast has been subjected to various analyses in laboratories that have proven to originate from oil fields in Venezuela.

This information was supplemented by verification of other parameters such as cargo, port of origin, travel route and shipowners’ information.

Of the 30 suspected vessels, a Greek-flagged tanker was navigating the spot, on the date considered, carrying crude oil from Venezuela’s “SAN JOSÉ” to South Africa. Satellite images, associated with the above data, point this ship as the prime suspect.

CISMAR’s follow-up attests that the vessel kept its monitoring systems powered (Automatic Identification System – AIS) and there was no communication to the Brazilian Maritime Authority about the spill in question.

During the investigation, vessels that did not transmit their location systems (AIS), known as “Dark Ships”, were also evaluated. However, after verification of satellite images, they were not correlated with this occurrence.

Investigations continue to identify the circumstances and factors involved in this spill (whether accidental or intentional), the dimensions of the original oil spill, as well as to measure the volume of oil spilled, to estimate the likelihood of residual oils, and to ratify the pattern of spill observed dispersion.

The unprecedented occurrence required the establishment of its own research protocol, requiring the integration and coordination of different organisations and sectors of society.

The Brazilian Navy, the Federal Police, and other collaborators will continue to conduct the investigation until all issues involved are clarified”.

The modern Brazilian Navy includes British-built guided missile frigates (FFG), locally built corvettes (FFL), coastal diesel-electric submarines (SSK) and many other river and coastal patrol craft.

Incentive Program for Cabotage Navigation and Foreign Vessels

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Cabotage is the transport of goods or passengers between two places in the same country. It originally applied to shipping along coastal routes, port to port, but now applies to aviation, railways, and road transport as well.

Cabotage rights are the right of a company from one country to trade in another country.

Published in the Union Official Diary of this Friday, August 30, the approval of a the resolution of the Investment Partnership Council of the the Presidency of the Brazilian Republic with the directives for police making regarding an Incentive / Stimulation Program to cabotage transportation to be named “BR do MAR”.

Foreign vessel means a vessel registered in accordance with the laws of another state or jurisdiction. Also referred to as “out-of-country.”

The Program Council considered that cabotage waterway transport was comparatively more efficient, safer and had lower environmental costs and impacts than road or rail. It has a greater participation of the waterway modal, especially cabotage transport, in the country’s logistic matrix is the most effective and expeditious measure to balance the excessive expenditures of the Union, States, Federal District and Municipalities in road and rail infrastructure projects;

The Council also considered the need to allocate areas located within public ports for temporary use and viability of investments to meet cargoes in type, route or market not yet existing or not consolidated in Brazilian cabotage, seen as essential for the reconfiguration of the logistics matrix of the country; the feasibility of the cabotage stimulation policy encompasses measures that optimise the use of Union revenues from the collection of the Additional Freight for the Renewal of the Merchant Navy, including to ensure investments in coastal navigation safety by the Brazilian Navy;

Actions and other measures to encourage cabotage, in particular those allowing greater participation of foreign vessels in Brazilian cabotage, will be considered of relevant public interest and strategically prioritised for all legal purposes; the powers assigned to the Special Secretariat of the Investment Partnership Program to strengthen national policies for the integration of different modes of transport of persons and goods, in accordance with national, regional and urban development, national defence, environmental, and environmental policies. security, formulated by the various spheres of government.

The Ministry of Infrastructure already foresees, for 2025, that the cabotage will have a 29% participation in the Brazilian transport matrix, through 205 waterway interventions, at a cost of R$ 15,8 billion.