North Sea Wrecks - An Opportunity for Blue Growth : Healthy Environment, Shipping, Energy Production and -transmission

Programme 2014 - 2020 INTERREG VB North Sea

Date of latest update: 2024-09-18

Description

Description (EN):

NSW provides tools necessary for planners, response organizations, economic actors and other stakeholders to assess and propose solutions for risk mitigation regarding wrecks and munitions in the North Sea.The North Sea is littered with thousands of ship and aircraft wrecks, million tons of conventional munitions and Chemical Warfare Agents. Additionally, bunker oil and hazardous cargo in sunken ships put a threat to human beings, the environment and blue growth operations, such as commercial and leisure navigation, tourism, mariculture and offshore wind parks.Scientists report a lack of information and knowledge about location of wrecks, munitions, lost materials and sea dumped (chemical) waste and its composition. There is a lack of a co-operation and joint (mitigation) strategy, only fragmented action at national level exist. The project provides a comprehensive methodology to assess, investigate and describe respective data sources, incl. mapping maritime heritage sites. Methods incl exploration of potential data and field sampling with research vessels. We deliver a powerful network, a Decision Support Database based on case studies, a risk assessment methodology and policy recommendations.The consortium is formed of public authorities for maritime safety and planning, scientists and private companies dealing with wrecks and UXO (UneXploded Ordnance). Further public bodies constitute the Advisory Board.Co-operation with existing projects avoids duplication of efforts.

Achievements (EN):

Without being conceited we can say that North Sea Wrecks was a big success with public money well invested. The consortium is flabbergasted by the good, intense cooperation that generated strong public attention contributing to fulfilling the set objectives. The coronavirus pandemic slowed down our activities and at the same time was a trigger to revamp the exhibition, giving impulses to adapt the concept to a more flexible mobile delivery of research results. A remarkable prototype, the risk assessment tool- is available for mainstreaming towards the key stakeholders in public administrations, flanked by the new (April 2023) orientation of OSPAR regarding UXO. Without a clear science-based approach with only verified evidence, we could not have reached our aims. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Research on wreck and munition provenience was carried out by reviewing literature and cartographic sources. Archive Work was supported by AB volunteers. Data were compiled and resulted in a count of at least 680 wrecks. This desk research forms the basis for the case study areas and at the same time complements the assessment of wrecks searchable in the completed database. FIELD RESEARCH AND LABORATORY ANALYSES After months of desk study, the expedition campaign in Belgian, Dutch, Danish, German, and Norwegian waters surveyed 20 wrecks collecting several hundred samples in 6 sites. Complemented by the ecotoxicological laboratory analysis of samples (fish, mussels, water, and sediments), the consortium achieved the scientific goals of this project: developing the tools necessary for authorities, response organizations, economic actors, and other stakeholders to assess and propose solutions for risk mitigation regarding wrecks and munitions in the North Sea. COMMUNICATIONS Information and knowledge about the problem of underwater munition was spread via scientific talks, workshops, scientific papers publication, the final symposium, and the TravEx. TravEx followed a circular route in northern Europe reaching more than 35,000 visitors and contributing to promoting the scientific work, translating results from natural science and sociology into short messages with a tangible meaning. The project had excellent media coverage, for example, the press conference after the Heincke cruise in 2021, the kick-off of TravEx in the summer of 2021, the publication of a paper by project scientists in the autumn of 2022, and the final symposium FOOD CHAIN MODELLING The development of a North Sea Marine Food Chain Model roots on test site samples, interpreting data. This was (and is) a novel action for the North Sea. The reluctance of the EFSA and respective national agencies to engage with this subject encourages us to continue the current efforts. MAINSTREAMING The NSW tool serves as an interactive online solution by visualizing information on shipwrecks and munitions. The developed risk assessment method calculates the risks that individual wrecks represent. Partners have successfully worked with OSPAR delegations resulting in the revision of OSPAR EIHA Recommendation 2010/20 which now includes reference to the NSW project, promotion of information sharing on munitions, and risk assessment of munitions with the aim of developing a shared approach. NSR NETWORK Cooperation on this sensitive topic is imperative and will become more evident over the upcoming years with munition shells rusting away. Findings have been shared with stakeholders (and partially with the wider public) including major institutes and government bodies. Our competent and dedicated Advisory Board provided content input, and improvement critique and opened doors at international bodies.

Website: http://www.northsearegion.eu/

Thematic information

Coastal management and maritime issues Cultural heritage and arts

Specific Objective: Develop new methods for the long-term sustainable management of North Sea ecosystems

Thematic Objective: (06) preserving and protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency by:

Investment Priority: (06d) Protecting and restoring biodiversity and soil and promoting ecosystem services, including through Natura 2000, and green infrastructure

Partners (9)

Lead Partner: Deutsches Schifffahrtsmuseum - Leibniz-Institut für Maritime Geschichte

Address: Hans-Scharoun Platz 1, 27568 Bremerhaven, Germany

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.dsm.museum

Total budget: EUR 1 019 255.00

ERDF budget: EUR 509 627.00

Forsvarets forskningsinstitutt

Name: Forsvarets forskningsinstitutt

Address: P.O. Box 25, 2027 Kjeller, Norway

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.ffi.no

Total budget: EUR 290 235.00

Periplus Consultancy BV

Name: Periplus Consultancy BV

Address: Kraanspoor 14, 1033 SE Amsterdam, Netherlands

Legal status: private

Website: http://www.periplus.nl

Total budget: EUR 500 414.00

ERDF budget: EUR 250 207.00

Stichting NHL Stenden Hogeschool - Maritiem Instituut Willem Barentsz

Name: Stichting NHL Stenden Hogeschool - Maritiem Instituut Willem Barentsz

Address: Dellewal 8, 8880 AA West-Terschelling, Netherlands

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.nhlstenden.com

Total budget: EUR 438 619.00

ERDF budget: EUR 219 309.00

Aarhus University - Department of Geoscience

Name: Aarhus University - Department of Geoscience

Address: Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark

Legal status: public

Website: http://geo.au.dk/en/

Total budget: EUR 389 500.00

ERDF budget: EUR 194 750.00

Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung

Name: Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung

Address: Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.awi.de

Total budget: EUR 733 215.00

ERDF budget: EUR 366 607.00

north.io GmbH

Name: north.io GmbH

Address: Einsteinstrasse 1, 24118 Kiel, Germany

Legal status: private

Website: http://www.egeos.de

Total budget: EUR 684 601.00

ERDF budget: EUR 342 300.00

Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein - Institut für Toxikologie und Pharmakologie

Name: Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein - Institut für Toxikologie und Pharmakologie

Address: Brunswiker Str. 10, 24105 Kiel, Germany

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.uni-kiel.de/toxikologie

Total budget: EUR 316 040.00

ERDF budget: EUR 158 020.00

Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee vzw

Name: Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee vzw

Address: InnovOcean site, Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400 Oostende, Belgium

Legal status: public

Website: http://www.vliz.be

Total budget: EUR 806 256.00

ERDF budget: EUR 403 128.00

Partners map

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): North Sea Wrecks - An Opportunity for Blue Growth : Healthy Environment, Shipping, Energy Production and -transmission

Project acronym: NSW

Project start date: 2018-11-01

Project end date: 2023-06-30

Project status: closed

Relevant precedent projects:

CHEMSEA
DAIMON 1
DAIMON 2
UDEMM, BMBF
ROBEMM, BMWK
MODUM, NATO
SWERA, EU Bonus

Relevant subsequent projects:

REMARCO

Relevant linked projects:

CONMAR, EMFF
TATTOO, EMFF
Blue Labs, EMFF
BASTA, EMFF

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 5 178 135.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 2 443 948.00

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, .

Documents

Documents on this project are listed below, and organised by category. Please note field "Data source", attached to each document. Keep.eu users are free to use these documents as long as they mention the data source and keep.eu.

Reports

Change detection on shipwrecks using synthetic aperture sonar

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://northsearegion.eu/nsw/

Publication date: 2024-11-26

Document date: 2022-12-16

Languages: en, nl

Attachment file: Download

Studies / surveys

“Don’t Blast”, blast‑in‑place (BiP) operations of dumped World War munitions in the oceans signifcantly increase hazards to the environment and the human seafood consumer

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://northsearegion.eu/nsw/

Publication date: 2024-11-26

Document date: 2020-04-18

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

80 years later, Marine sediments still influenced by an old war ship

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://northsearegion.eu/nsw/

Publication date: 2024-11-26

Document date: 2022-10-18

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

North Sea Wrecks - An interdisciplinary approach towards understanding the risks posed by wrecks containing munitions in the North Sea

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://northsearegion.eu/nsw/

Publication date: 2024-11-26

Document date: 2022-06-20

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Warship wrecks and their munition cargos as a threat to the marine environment and humans, The V 1302 “JOHN MAHN” from World War II

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://northsearegion.eu/nsw/

Publication date: 2024-11-26

Document date: 2022-10-08

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Discussing Removal Options of Unexploded Ordnance in and near Shipwrecks

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://northsearegion.eu/nsw/

Publication date: 2024-11-26

Document date: 2023-06-15

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Videos / films

North Sea Wrecks

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: https://northsearegion.eu/nsw/

Publication date: 2024-11-26

Document date: 2023-08-07

Languages: en

North Sea Wrecks – Trip to the SMS MAINZ

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: https://northsearegion.eu/nsw/

Publication date: 2024-11-26

Document date: 2021-04-29

Languages: en

North Sea Wrecks fieldwork on Aurora March 2022

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: https://northsearegion.eu/nsw/

Publication date: 2024-11-26

Document date: 2022-06-22

Languages: nl, en

North Sea Wrecks: Data Source Inventory

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: https://northsearegion.eu/nsw/

Publication date: 2024-11-26

Document date: 2023-10-16

Languages: en

North Sea Wrecks: UXO Warehouse

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: https://northsearegion.eu/nsw/

Publication date: 2024-11-26

Document date: 2023-10-16

Languages: en

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2014 - 2020 INTERREG VB North Sea

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2023-02-14

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

73 / 73 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

871 / 871 (100%)

Notes on the data

Information provided by the Programme. Achievements were retrieved by Interact from the Programme website (http://www.northsearegion.eu/), or a website directly linked from it, on 2021-09-20 and 2023-01-12.

The financial data featured in keep.eu for this programme, it's projects and its partners is not exact and should be taken as a reference only.

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North Sea Wrecks - An Opportunity for Blue Growth : Healthy Environment, Shipping, Energy Production and -transmission

Description

Thematic information

Partners (9)

Partners map

Summary

Documents

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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