The SS Kielce, a Polish cargo ship loaded with munitions, met its watery end in 1946 about four miles off the coast of England. Its attempted salvage in 1967 was a doozy, resulting in an explosion that registered as a 4.5 on the Richter scale. Lucky for everyone involved, nobody was injured that time. But others haven’t been so fortunate. Since 1945, over 110 people have lost their lives due to unexploded ordnance (UXO) dumped in the North Sea.
Now, a study reported in Marine Technology News this week has shed light on another insidious risk these munitions pose. The south-western Baltic Sea is already contaminated with about 3,000 kilograms of dissolved toxic chemicals from unexploded ordnance, according to the study by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. These toxic substances, including TNT, RDX, and DNB, are seeping into the seawater as the metal casings corrode. And this is just the beginning. The contamination is expected to increase over time, with the process projected to continue for at least the next 800 years.
This isn’t just a historical problem; it’s a ticking time bomb. The toxic chemicals released from these munitions can wreak havoc on marine life and ecosystems. And with the metal casings continuing to corrode, the problem is only going to get worse. This is a stark reminder that the legacy of war doesn’t just disappear.
But there’s hope on the horizon. Two EU-funded projects began last year to help mitigate the threat of the estimated 1.6 million tonnes of dumped munitions in European seas. The project teams are working on advancing robotics, 3D imaging, and AI support for the detection and classification of UXO. This isn’t just about cleaning up the past; it’s about protecting the future.
The ordinance ranges from single bullets to ammunition boxes to 500 kg bombs, and a pilot clearance project undertaken by contractors, SeaTerra, Eggers Kampfmittelbergung and Hansataucher, involves deck cranes equipped with a variety of grapples to remove ordnance boxes, a crawler equipped with a robotic arm to place small artillery shells in underwater baskets and ROVs with divers on standby. The latest issue of Marine Technology Reporter magazine includes an in-depth look at crawler technology. Written by David R. Strachan, defense analyst and founder of Strikepod Systems, it looks at the US Navy’s development of an underwater crawler whose range of missions will include explosive ordnance disposal.
This news should shape future developments in the sector. It’s a call to action for the maritime industry to step up and address this issue head-on. The technology is advancing, and with it, the potential to make a real difference. But it’s not just about technology; it’s about commitment. The maritime industry needs to commit to cleaning up these underwater time bombs before they cause more harm. This isn’t just about protecting marine life; it’s about protecting our future.
