Since mid-September, three professional companies have been removing unexploded ordnance (UXO) from a dump site in the Bay of Lübeck. This is the first time that proactive efforts are being made to recover munitions from the sea in order to better understand the challenges and find the most efficient clearance methods. This is pioneering work not only in Germany but worldwide. “No other country has attempted to recover legacy munitions from the sea on such a large scale,” says Professor Dr. Jens Greinert, Marine Geologist and Munitions Expert at GEOMAR. “We are absolute pioneers in this field.”
Expedition AL622: Environmental Monitoring of Munitions Clearance
The impact of large-scale munition clearance operations on the marine environment is, therefore, unknown. Researchers will investigate this as part of the AL622 ‘Postclear’ cruise with the research vessel ALKOR. From October 14 to 21, 2024, they will take water and sediment samples in the Bay of Lübeck, sample fish, and take video footage with the underwater robot Käpt’n Blaubär. Onboard are Professor Greinert, geochemists Dr. Aaron Beck and Mareike Keller from GEOMAR, marine biologist Dr. Andrey Vedenin from the research institute Senckenberg am Meer, and fisheries ecologist Dr. Jörn Scharsack from the Thünen Institute.
“We continuously monitor various parameters,” explains Chief Scientist Greinert. “When we are not on-site, the salvage companies collect samples, which we then analyze.” The comprehensive environmental analyses are essential to accurately document and assess the potential negative environmental impact of munitions clearance.
Legacy Munitions on the Seabed
It is estimated that around 1.6 million tonnes of legacy munitions from the World Wars lie off the coasts of the German North Sea and Baltic Sea. This environmental threat has been largely ignored for decades, but time is running out. The metal is corroding, and explosives such as carcinogenic and mutagenic trinitrotoluene (TNT) are already exposed on the seabed. Explosive compounds and their degradation products have been detected in seawater, shellfish, and fish.
In response to this problem, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) launched an emergency program last year, allocating €100 million to tackle the problem. The pilot clearance operations in the Bay of Lübeck, which started on September 13, are funded by this program.
Bay of Lübeck selected as Pilot Clearance Area
The Bay of Lübeck was selected as a pilot area following a comprehensive risk-benefit analysis. This is a particularly challenging area for clearance: various types of munitions—from cartridges and boxes to 500 kg bombs—are found in complex layers on the seabed. This area will provide valuable insights into the technical requirements and potential hazards, which will be crucial for future recovery projects. “The knowledge gained from this pilot operation will help us to develop an environmentally sound, safe, and efficient process for the recovery and subsequent disposal of munitions,” says Greinert.
