Brazil’s Maritime Strategy in the South Atlantic: The Nexus Between Security and Resources

Brazil has reframed its South Atlantic strategy to protect significant pre-salt oil and gas deposits, leading to a naval modernisation programme and a 'Blue Amazon' campaign to foster a maritime mentality. This strategy includes pursuing the expansion of its continental shelf through UNCLOS, developing a nuclear-propulsion attack submarine in co-operation with France, and establishing a 'goodwill belt' of defence ties with West African states. Brazil also seeks to revive the South Atlantic Peace and Co-operation Zone (Zopacas) to assert regional leadership and limit the influence of outside powers like NATO.

• The discovery of pre-salt oil and gas reserves, estimated by Petrobras at over 50 billion barrels, has prompted Brazil to reframe its national defence strategy to enhance deterrence and protect these maritime resources.
• Brazil is implementing a significant naval modernisation programme, the centrepiece of which is the development of a nuclear-propulsion attack submarine in partnership with France, expected to be commissioned in 2023.
• To secure exclusive access to resources, Brazil has filed a proposal with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) to expand its national waters by approximately 900,000 km² based on a redefinition of its continental shelf.
• The Brazilian government launched the 'Blue Amazon' (Amazônia Azul) campaign to mobilise domestic popular support and foster a 'maritime mentality' regarding the strategic importance of South Atlantic resources.
• Brazil is expanding defence co-operation with West African nations to create a 'goodwill belt', providing officer training, vessels, and equipment, with notable partnerships in Namibia, Angola, and Nigeria.
• Brazil is attempting to revive the South Atlantic Peace and Co-operation Zone (Zopacas) to promote a regional identity and argue that primary responsibility for the area belongs to bordering countries, specifically questioning NATO's role in the region.

APA

Erthal, A., Abdenur, & Neto, D. M. D. S. (2013). Brazil’s Maritime Strategy in the South Atlantic: The Nexus Between Security and Resources. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Occasional-Paper-161.pdf

Chicago

Erthal, Adriana, Abdenur, and Danilo Marcondes de Souza Neto. Brazil’s Maritime Strategy in the South Atlantic: The Nexus Between Security and Resources. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2013. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Occasional-Paper-161.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Erthal |first1=Adriana |last2=Abdenur |last3=Neto |first3=Danilo Marcondes de Souza |title=Brazil’s Maritime Strategy in the South Atlantic: The Nexus Between Security and Resources |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=November 2013 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Occasional-Paper-161.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{erthal2013brazils, author = {Erthal, Adriana and Abdenur and Neto, Danilo Marcondes de Souza}, title = {{Brazil’s Maritime Strategy in the South Atlantic: The Nexus Between Security and Resources}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2013}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Occasional-Paper-161.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }