Besnard Research Vessel Towed to Guarujá Shipyard for Restoration
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The historic oceanographic vessel Professor W. Besnard was towed on the morning of Friday, October 23, from Valongo Park to a shipyard located in Guarujá, on the left bank of the Port of Santos navigation channel, where it will undergo repairs. The Santos Port Authority (APS) reported that the goal is for the vessel to later return to Valongo to be put on display in a prominent location and visited by tourists and local residents.
Statements from the APS
The president of the APS, Anderson Pomini, confirmed the vessel's destination and noted that it will remain on permanent display at Valongo Park, in connection with the relocation of Concais to the same site, which will add one more attraction for tourists arriving in Santos on cruise ships. Pomini clarified that the restoration at the shipyard is not intended to put the ship back into service, but rather to allow it to be towed back to Valongo and viewed in better condition.
Details of the operation
The transfer, authorized by the Brazilian Navy, was carried out without incident and at low speed, taking just over an hour and a half. Four tugboats and other support vessels took part, and the maneuver was overseen by the Port Guard, the Brazilian Navy and technicians from the company Marfort.
History of the vessel
The Professor Wladimir Besnard was launched in 1966 at a shipyard in Bergen, Norway, commissioned by the government of São Paulo, and arrived in Santos in August 1967, becoming the first civilian research vessel and USP's first oceanographic ship. Over the course of its career it carried out more than 260 scientific expeditions, including Brazil's first mission to Antarctica in 1982, and underwent refits in the 1990s.
Fire and sinking
The vessel stopped sailing in 2008 after a fire broke out while it was in Rio de Janeiro, and shortly afterward it was towed to the Valongo pier in Santos, an area that was later revitalized and became a tourist spot in the city. In March 2026 the vessel listed, prompting refloating work that included sealing compartments, watertightness testing and the use of hydraulic pumps to remove water until the ship could be raised and stabilized. Friday's tow to the Guarujá shipyard marks a key step in that recovery process.
