With free admission, the ship was on display at the Container Terminal of Paranaguá
Over 3 thousand people visited the sailboat Cisne Branco at TCP on Sunday (02), in Paranaguá. The vessel represents the country in nautical events and, in this case, it came to the city to celebrate the bicentennial of Brazil’s Independence and the 150th anniversary of the Lighthouse of Shells, located on Honey Island, in Paranaguá.
On Sunday morning, guided tours were held for the Naval Family, Military College, SOAMAR, TCP, Ports of Paraná, and a group of children with autistic spectrum and their families. In the afternoon, the general public could see the ship, which despite being a replica of the 19th century, is an extremely modern version, with several state-of-the-art equipment.
This technology can be seen on the gangway – or the so-called command area of the ship – which has two radars, an electronic chart, and GPS. But in cases of technological problems, the nautical chart made on paper is used. There, the commander can activate a panel that controls the ship’s lights, illuminating the ship with the colors of the flag: green, yellow, and white.
The sailboat is 76 meters long and weighs about 1 ton. It is made of steel and aluminum, and is covered in Burma Teak wood to respect the original model. With all sails open, it has 2 km of sail area, in other words: it is a small, light, and fast boat; reaching 15 to 17 knots (which corresponds to 27 to 31 km/h).
One of the environments of the ship is the gun room, which has a model of the White Swan and an area where meals are served. In the old ships, this was a private space for the officers to keep their weapons. It was a resting place, with a piano and other musical instruments, where the officers used to sleep next to their weapons, avoiding surprises in case of rebellions or attacks. Currently, the room has no weapons.
Another environment is the room where the main mast is located. It is 46 meters high and goes up to the keel (the part that strengthens the ship). A 100-réis coin with the image of Admiral Tamandaré, the patron saint of the Brazilian Navy, was fixed on the mast. It is a naval tradition, originating in Greco-Roman mythology, in which the dead paid the boatman with a coin to receive eternal rest.
According to TCP’s institutional manager, Allan Chiang, it is a privilege to be able to receive the navy’s sailboat at TCP. For Chiang, “it is a realization for us to have the Paraná community here in the terminal and present such an important ship for the country. And this event was only possible thanks to the constant investments in infrastructure and the expansion of the pier.
History of the White Swan Ship
The ship is the third to bear this name in the Navy. Built by the Damen Oranjewerf shipyard, in Amsterdam, it was delivered on February 4, 2000. On the occasion of the start of the International Regatta Commemorating the 500 Years of the Discovery, the sailboat sailed the so-called “Route of Discovery”, leaving Portugal and heading to Brazil.
