Knowledge Portal Munitions in the Sea
Knowledge Portal Munitions in the Sea

Remediation methods

Diver recovering a discarded German WW II moored mine
© Kampfmittelräumdienst Schleswig-Holstein
Diver recovering a discarded German WW II moored mine

The possibilities and methods of disposal of ammunition: Monitoring or relocation to a safe location on the seabed, the direct detonation on site or after a relocation as well as the salvage and safe destruction of the old ammunition. Government agencies, science and industry investigate and evaluate the dangers of the individual options and develop technical procedures like freezing or underwater robotics for low-risk disposal of ammunition against the background of protecting nature and the environment.

KMCW’21: Remediation Solutions

Leave in place

One option for dealing with munitions in the sea is to tolerate the contamination, if necessary by accepting restrictions on the use of contaminated areas or prohibitions on access. Relocation within a marine area (from a Traffic Separation Scheme to a hot-spot) to mitigating direct risks at the site of concern is also considered as "leaving in place".
However, a condition of this approach should be the observation of the development at appropriate intervals (monitoring).

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Blast

Detonating munition objects under water, both on site or after relocation to a safer place requires various preparatory work to minimize hazards for marine mammals and sea birds.
Science, research and industry defining environmental standards and develop viable methods for preserving the marine ecosystem. The JPI-Oceans Knowledge Hub documents the current state of research and the benefits and risks associated with the various procedures.

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Recovering

The destruction of ammunition after recovery at sea or on land requires high technical standards and environmentally friendly processes. Science and research are developing modern methods for minimizing the risks, examining the effects of munitions disposal measures on the marine ecosystem and humans, and are developing suitable measures to restore a healthy environment for the marine flora and fauna and thus for humans. Therefor recovering means the completion of a process that ranges from the detection of ammunition contaminated sites to its environmentally friendly disposal.

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