After research and studies conducted by the Brazilian Navy (MB), the future Antarctic Support Ship (NApAnt) had its name chosen: “Almirante Saldanha”. TheNApAntwill reduce the refueling time of the Comandante Ferraz Antarctic Station (EACF), due to cranes with greater load and maneuverability, and will be better equipped for the launch of camps and will have greater autonomy to expand support for research.
The new ship will replace the Oceanographic Support Ship “Ary Rongel” and will have more modern technical resources such as the navigation and control system, which will allow closer approach of the ship to the beach for landing personnel and material, safely.
TheNApAnt “Admiral Saldanha” will be the second mb ship that will bear the name of this historical character. The first to carry this name was the School Ship “Almirante Saldanha”, incorporated in 1934 and converted into oceanographic ship in 1966, equipped by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to form the first oceanographers in Brazil.
The tribute refers to Rear Admiral Luiz Philippe Saldanha da Gama, born in Rio de Janeiro in 1846, who joined mb in 1861. In his naval career he stood out in several opportunities such as the Uruguay Campaign (1864-1865) and the War of the Triple Alliance (1865-1870). He was Commander of the Corvette “Parnaíba”, on his journey to the Strait of Magellan and Patagonian Coast to observe the passage of Venus through the solar disk, a great achievement in 1882. His journey of studies and astronomical observations in the extreme south of America is considered a milestone of Brazilian actions in the southern region. He was also Commander of the Cruiser “Almirante Barroso” on the instructional voyage of 1886 and Director of the Naval School, from 1892. He also participated in the Armada Revolt (1893) in Rio de Janeiro. Finally, he heroically fell at the Battle of Campo Osório, in Sant ́Ana do Livramento (RS), where he lost his life riding a horse and wounded with a spear in his chest, in 1895, during the Federalist Revolution (1893-1895).