Professor W. Besnard ship to be restored as tourist attraction in Santos

The historic oceanographic vessel Professor W. Besnard was towed on Friday to a shipyard in Guarujá for repairs and restoration. Following the operation, which was conducted with the assistance of four tugboats and overseen by the Brazilian Navy and the Santos Port Authority (APS), the ship is intended to become a permanent tourist attraction at Valongo Park.

The vessel, which served as a pioneer in Brazilian oceanographic research and was used by the University of São Paulo (USP), had been partially submerged and tilted since March after a hull failure allowed water to enter. While the restoration aims to improve its condition for public viewing, the APS confirmed the ship will not return to active navigation.

The project is part of a broader plan to expand tourism in the Santos port area. The APS has also reached an agreement to transfer the Giusfredo Santini Passenger Maritime Terminal to the Valongo region to consolidate tourist attractions.