Fugro has stepped into the spotlight of a critical mission: clearing Europe’s seas of a ticking time bomb. The Dutch survey and subsea services giant has joined the CAMMera consortium, a three-year EU-backed initiative to tackle the 1.6 million tonnes of corroding World War munitions littering the German Baltic and North Sea. This isn’t just about cleaning up history—it’s about preventing environmental disaster.
These munitions, many submerged for over 80 years, are becoming increasingly unstable. As their casings corrode, toxic substances like TNT—carcinogenic and mutagenic—leak into the ocean, threatening marine biodiversity, human safety, and fishing industries. The stakes are high, and the clock is ticking.
Fugro isn’t just joining the effort—it’s leading the charge in two key areas. First, the company will design specialized tools for remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to access, extract, and safely contain the hazardous material. This is no small feat. The munitions are often buried, unstable, and scattered across vast underwater landscapes. Fugro’s expertise in unexploded ordnance (UXO) remediation and subsea engineering will be pivotal in developing tools that can handle the job safely and efficiently.
Second, Fugro will assess how these technologies can be adapted for use in other regions, including the North Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean, and Atlantic. This isn’t just about solving a problem in one place—it’s about creating a blueprint for global action.
The project is backed by the European Commission, which sees CAMMera as a pilot for industrial-scale UXO cleanup. “CAMMera is designed to develop environmentally friendly, comprehensive, and efficient technologies for the removal, disposal, and neutralisation of underwater munitions,” said Christos Economou, Deputy Director for Maritime Policy and Blue Economy at the European Commission’s DG MARE. “The European Commission is hopeful that the project will pilot UXO cleanup solutions at an industrial scale.”
For Fugro, this is more than a contract—it’s a chance to shape the future of underwater remediation. “This initiative is not only about removing hazardous materials but also about safeguarding marine ecosystems, protecting coastal communities, and enabling sustainable offshore development for generations to come,” said Peter Nieuwveld, Fugro’s Solution Owner for UXO Risk Mitigation.
The implications of this project stretch far beyond the Baltic and North Sea. As offshore wind farms, subsea cables, and other infrastructure expand, the need for safe and efficient UXO remediation will only grow. Fugro’s work in CAMMera could set the standard for how the industry approaches these challenges.
But the real impact will be felt in the oceans themselves. By removing these toxic relics, the consortium isn’t just cleaning up the past—it’s protecting the future. The marine ecosystems that have been under threat from these munitions will have a chance to recover, and coastal communities will be safer. It’s a bold step towards a cleaner, safer ocean—and Fugro is right in the thick of it.