Congratulations to Vice Admiral Luciano Ferreira Bastos da Costa e Silva

THE LUCIAN VALM FOR THE COST And SILVA, Dean of Portuguese Hydrograph Engineers, celebrated its 103rd anniversary on October 24.

Biographic note:

VALM Luciano Bastos da Costa e Silva joined the Naval School in 1931. 

In 1941 and 1942 he served at the Angola and São Tomé Hydrographic Mission (MHAST), with the post of 1TEN. 

From 1946 to 1950 he trained as a Hydrograph Engineer in Portugal and the United States, after which he returned to MHAST. Between 1953 and 1960, he assumed the head of the Mission, being the author of the proposal for the creation of the Hydrographic Institute, presented in 1959 to the Superintendence of Personnel Services and approved in 1960, the year he returned to Lisbon, then joining the newly created Hydrographic Institute (HI), in whose genesis had a decisive role, taking up the position of Subdirector. 

The following year he returned to MHAST, again as Head of Mission, performing this position until his promotion to Captain of the Sea and War in 1963, then returning to IH as Technical Director. 

He also served as Commander of Group No. 2 of Armed Schools, from 1966 to 1969, being promoted to Commodore this year and appointed Naval Commander of Guinea, which he held until 1971. 

His last link to the study of the sea and to the Hydrographic Institute took place when he directed the Physical Oceanography Seminar held in May 1972 in Lisbon, and which was attended by the United States and more than a dozen European countries. That same year he was promoted to Vice Admiral and in 1973 was Naval Commander of the Continent. 

It moved to the reserve position in 1974, after a long career markedly linked to Hydrography. In the book The Navy in the Research of the Sea 1800-1999, edited by the IH in 2001, is made the history of many studies, surveys and other works that were developed by the Hydrographic Missions in Angola and São Tome, and in which VALM Luciano Bastos da Costa e Silva was involved many years. 

VALM Luciano Bastos da Costa e Silva has been the dean of Portuguese Hydrograph Engineers since May 1986.