The Baltic Sea: Investigating Submerged Munitions

The Baltic Sea is known to be contaminated with remnants of munitions from past wars, posing risks to marine ecosystems and human health. However, many questions remain about the exact locations of these munitions and their condition after decades underwater.

Current Research Initiatives

Three major projects at national, Baltic Sea, and European levels are currently working to consolidate existing knowledge and develop technologies to safely identify submerged munitions. GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel is actively contributing to these efforts with three Baltic Sea expeditions.

The first mission, Expedition AL628, has now begun using the research vessel Alkor to develop mapping and analysis techniques in German and Danish waters. The focus is on sea areas at the exit of the Flensburg Fjord / Lille Belt, west of Bornholm, and the Bay of Lübeck.

Collaborating with projects like CONMAR, MUNI-RISK, and MMinE-SwEEPER, the expedition aims to assess munitions contamination, improve autonomous mapping and analysis methods, and promote international cooperation.

Developing Guidelines for Risk Mitigation

The MUNI-RISK project, led by the University of Aarhus and funded by the EU, aims to mitigate risks posed by submerged munitions in the Baltic Sea. Experts from various research fields are working together to develop tools and guidelines for assessing these risks effectively.

Future Expeditions

Following the current expedition, Alkor will head to munitions dumping sites in the Bay of Lübeck, where researchers from the Polish institute IOPAN and the German Federal Police will join. The final destination will be off the coast of Boltenhagen, where a barge loaded with conventional munitions from World War II lies on the seabed. An explosive ordnance disposal company from Rostock will clear the contents of the barge in June and July.

The next expedition, planned for October 2025, will focus on investigating chemical munitions in Polish waters. With an estimated 40,000 tonnes of chemical munitions and over one million tonnes of unexploded ordnance submerged in the Baltic Sea, addressing these risks is crucial for the preservation of marine ecosystems and industries like fishing and offshore wind energy.

Stay tuned for more updates on the ongoing research efforts to safeguard the Baltic Sea from the dangers of submerged munitions.