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Potentially Polluting Wrecks

A partnership between the Lloyd's Register Foundation, The Ocean Foundation and Waves Group.

Heritage Safer maritime systems

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A tropical island.

Duration

This project's duration was 2023-2025

Value of grant

£565,600

Partner info

The Ocean Foundation has a mission is to improve global ocean health, climate resilience, and the blue economy. Delivering Project Tangaroa through Waves Group, an independent marine consultancy company with marine salvage and oil removal expertise, to improve safety and reduce environmental, commercial and project risks.

Project Tangaroa: building a global coalition for action.

Project Tangaroa

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Overview

There is a growing risk of marine pollution from sunk and abandoned ships in our oceans. Recent estimates conclude that globally there are over 8,500 sunk vessels classified as ‘potentially polluting wrecks’ (PPW). The majority of these wrecks date from World War I and II and many contain harmful chemical pollutants, unexploded munitions and tonnes of oil.

Based on real experience in working to assess and respond to marine pollution risks from PPWs, Lloyd’s Register Foundation, The Ocean Foundation and Waves Group, supported by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), International Committee on the Underwater Cultural Heritage and International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICUCH/ICOMOS), have come together to take positive action to address the PPW problem.

Project Tangaroa has been initiated to:

  • Develop the global framework for the near and long term assessment, intervention and sharing of data for potentially polluting wrecks.
  • Develop the international standard and protocols in partnership with stakeholders.
  • Demonstrate that regional campaigns, utilising a standardised methodology, where a number of wrecks can be surveyed, recorded and assessed, can reduce overall costs.
  • Produce a technology roadmap to support optimised assessments and intervention of PPW.
  • Develop an archive strategy for PPW datasets and the dissemination of information.

Visit the Project Tangaroa website for more information. If you would like to collaborate on potentially polluting wrecks  contact our programme manager using the details below.

Contact the Programme Manager

Lydia has a professional and academic background spanning the museum, heritage and maritime sectors. With training in Maritime Archaeology and a previous role in HM Coastguard, Lydia has a range of experience across the maritime space.

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