Source: Ports and Ships / Danilo Oliveira
The structure in Itaguaí (RJ) is one of Prosub's deliveries and will train professionals to deal with the complexity of the Riachuelo class systems and, in the future, expand its operations to other naval assets
The Brazilian Navy (MB) activated, last Monday (17), the Madeira Island Maintenance Yard (EMIM), at the Itaguaí Naval Complex (CNI), in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The new structure will have a strategic role in ensuring the maintenance and readiness of naval assets, especially submarines, and providing port facilities to the naval assets of the naval force, in order to contribute to its strategic objectives. EMIM is one of the deliverables of the Submarine Development Program (Prosub), which is part of the New PAC (Growth Acceleration Program), of the federal government.
With a built area of approximately 14 square meters (m²), EMIM consists of a main building that houses maintenance support workshops, such as hydraulics, machining, electromechanics, piping, painting and equipment testing. The complex also has other buildings that house light support, battery activation and diesel engine support workshops, as well as a maneuvering yard for docked ships and a covered maintenance area. The site has a docking pier.
The event was attended by authorities from the Navy, government representatives and the naval industry. During the ceremony, the 'Activation Agreement' was signed, a document that formalizes the start of EMIM operations, establishing its organizational structure and operating guidelines. During the celebration, a commemorative plaque was also unveiled, symbolizing the official inauguration of the facilities.
The Navy mentioned that the new shipyard will face, among other challenges, the need to train its workforce to deal with the complexity of the Riachuelo-class submarine systems and, in the future, expand its operations to other naval assets. The naval force reported that it will establish partnerships with educational institutions, such as the National Industrial Training Service (SENAI) and the Technical School of the Navy Arsenal (ETAM), in addition to collaborations with the naval industry.
The Navy's Chief of Staff, Admiral André Luiz Silva Lima de Santana Mendes, stated that the maintenance yard was designed to house industrial facilities that, after the construction of the Riachuelo-class submarines, would allow for planned and corrective maintenance routines to be carried out on the platform systems of these submarines. "Its existence is in line with the new governance of maintenance in the Navy, incorporating an important structure for maintenance in the Itaguaí Naval Complex, and expanding the support needed to guarantee planned operational levels," stated Mendes.
Naval engineer and shipyard director, CF Charles Fernandes da Silva, highlighted that EMIM will be essential in ensuring an adequate life cycle for submarines. He added that the shipyard will contribute significantly to the preparation of naval power, increasing the Navy's capacity to prepare its naval assets for the sake of national defense and the preservation of sovereignty. “Our responsibilities will range from the management and supervision of external services to direct involvement in planned and corrective maintenance routines, always making use of the modern industrial infrastructure available at the Itaguaí Naval Complex,” he emphasized.
The Madeira Island Maintenance Shipyard is subordinate to the Navy's Industrial Directorate. The ordinance establishing the shipyard, published in October 2024, established that the facility is part of the regimental structure of the naval force command as a military organization with semi-autonomous administration that will be supported by the Madeira Island submarine base.
With information from the Marine News Agency