Rostock becomes a center for ammunition recovery – environmental project starts now!

Rostock becomes a center for ammunition recovery – environmental project starts now!

The beaches of the North and Baltic Seas could soon become safer. A new federal competence center for ammunition recovery is being built in Rostock, which is dealing with a serious challenge: around 1.6 million tons of old world war munitions lie on the seabed and pose an enormous risk to the environment and people. This decision was made based on the scientific expertise of the Ocean Technology Campus as well as the technical know-how of the regional shipyards and suppliers, such as NDR reported.

The new center is supported by the University of Rostock and the Leibniz Institute, which underlines the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. The Federal Environment Ministry sees this as a valuable opportunity to establish successful ammunition recovery in cooperation with other coastal states, especially Schleswig-Holstein. Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig emphasizes that the establishment of the competence center will strengthen the Rostock location and create many jobs.

A critical environmental problem

Environmental experts warn about the dangers of rotting ammunition that is poisoning the seas through leaking TNT explosives. Such chemical traces were detected in a study in Kiel, but they usually do not pose a health risk. This does not change the fact that the munitions dumps in the sea are considered extremely dangerous BMU underlined.

In order to meet the challenges, an information meeting took place in Kiel on June 24, 2024. Around 100 representatives from various areas, including politics, science and industry, came together to discuss the planned pilot recovery of old ammunition in the Baltic Sea. The Schleswig-Holstein Ministry for Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment and Nature took over the patronage. Minister Tobias Goldschmidt explained that it had taken ten years to create the conditions for this crucial step.

Pilot rescues and future perspectives

The first pilot rescue operations in the Bay of Lübeck have already been announced for the summer. These activities are part of a 100 million euro emergency program to promote the rapid and efficient recovery of various types of munitions from the seas. The GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research in Kiel will provide scientific support for the clearance and monitor the environmental impacts, which once again illustrates the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration Fish and catch reported.

The knowledge gained from the pilots should serve to develop an environmentally friendly and safe process chain for the recovery and disposal of old ammunition. The initiative not only signals a strong commitment to marine protection, but also the beginning of a new era for coastal protection measures in northern Germany.