In 2017, media outlets began reporting that Brazil was interested in purchasing Ocean as a replacement for the aircraft carrier São Paulo, which was withdrawn from service in 2017 following multiple mechanical failures.

Following her decommissioning from Royal Navy service in March 2018, she would undertake a period of maintenance in the United Kingdom and was expected to arrive in Rio de Janeiro by 25 August 2018,[10] with the intention of being commissioned and fully operational by 2020.

[16][17][18][19] The Brazilian Navy commissioned the multi-purpose helicopter carrier Atlântico (A140) on 29 June in the United Kingdom.

[22][23][24] On 12 November 2020, Atlântico was redesignated "NAM", for "multipurpose aircraft carrier" (Portuguese: Navio Aeródromo Multipropósito), from "PHM", for "multipurpose helicopter carrier" (Portuguese: Porta-Helicópteros Multipropósito), to reflect her capability to operate with fixed-wing medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles as well as crewed tiltrotor VTOL aircraft.

On board, the vessel carried 28 medics of several specialties including surgeons, dentists and orthopedists and 180 marines who were designated to operate heavy machinery in aid of the search and rescue efforts.