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Old ammunition in sight: deep sea rescue off Boltenhagen starts!
A pilot project to recover old ammunition is starting in Boltenhagen. 15 tons are to be recovered within 30 days.
Old ammunition in sight: deep sea rescue off Boltenhagen starts!
An important pilot project for the recovery of old ammunition began on August 10, 2025 in the Wismar Bay off Boltenhagen. This measure is part of a comprehensive emergency program for contaminated munitions in the North and Baltic Seas, which is supported with 100 million euros from federal funds. A total of around 15 tonnes of old ammunition will be recovered over the next four weeks on the specially used recovery platform “Baltic Lift”, which is a former tanker and is now 54 meters long and 18 meters wide. In the first phase, ammunition boxes were examined at a depth of around 22 meters. The executing company, the Baltic diving and salvage company from Rostock, has anchored the platform at four points in the operational area and is working closely with experts to analyze the environmental impact.
A large number of contaminated sites characterize the waters in the North and Baltic Seas. In total, an estimated 1.6 million tons of old ammunition from the world wars are stored here, including bombs, mines, grenades and chemical warfare agents. Such contaminated sites pose a serious threat to the ecosystem and human safety, experts warn. The Kolberg Heath in front of the Kiel Fjord is particularly affected, where large quantities were dumped after the Second World War. This not only impacts fishing and shipping, but also tourism and the construction of wind turbines and submarine cables. How ndr.de reports, a conference will take place in Kiel from June 18th to 20th, 2025, where over 200 experts from 16 countries will gather to discuss new technologies for ammunition recovery and their challenges.
Environmental monitoring and risks
A central element of the project in the Bay of Wismar is environmental monitoring, which is carried out to analyze the effects of the salvage measures on the marine environment. Among other things, the health of mussels that are released near the site of use is monitored in order to examine possible pollutants after recovery. Wolfgang Sichermann, an expert in marine technology, emphasizes that the greatest danger comes not from an explosion, but from corroding ammunition containers that can release toxic substances. These components have been identified in the past for their anti-carcinogenic and mutation-promoting properties.
As things stand, worrying amounts of explosives have already been detected in the water and in sediments in the waters of the Baltic Sea, which tend to have higher concentrations of toxic substances due to lower water exchange. There is recommendable research data available from dabs and mussels, which will be recorded in more detail in future studies. The analysis of these two species is particularly important because it can specifically examine the influence of explosives on marine organisms.
The responsibility for such recovery operations and the associated risks is significant, and there is a growing urgency in working with international partners. As part of the international conference in Kiel, a Ukrainian delegation, which has valuable experience in mapping and technical recovery underwater, is also expected to exchange knowledge and skills. The opinions and approaches to ammunition clearance, see below riffreporter.de, are intended to be sustainably improved through this interdisciplinary networking - a clear sign that this is not just about salvaging, but also about securing our maritime environment.