REMARCO

After decades in the sea water, ammunition shells from World Wars are in different stages of degradation. Leaking toxic and carcinogenic compounds have been found surrounding war wrecks and dumping sites. Apart from the risk of uncontrolled explosions, samples taken in marine expeditions and laboratory analyses found leaked toxic compounds also in biota that explained health impairments of exposed organisms. These results are leading to marine food safety concerns.

REMARCO aims to reduce pollution and contribute to marine ecosystem protection by: increasing the capacity of authorities with a systematized risks assessment strategy within the Marine Framework Strategy Directive (MFSD) and enhanced methodology, promoting the adoption of transnationally validated remote and automated solutions for North Sea Region authorities and supra-national bodies to monitor and remediate risks, promoting a change of behaviour of responsible stakeholders leading to the improvement of policy instruments.

What problem is the project solving?

No common systematic approach exists to assess or to implement the monitoring and remediation measures needed to mitigate hazards related to ammunition on the seabed. The project will deliver such a systematic approach.

The project includes 3 work packages:

WP1: PILOTING MONITORING & REMEDIATION TECHNIQUES (AWI)
WP2: WRECKNS SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE PLATFORM (NORTH.IO)
WP3: POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS (NHL Stenden)

What are the main (or preliminary) results?

Results are not yet known, project is still in start-up phase.

Who is the project team?

Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung
Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee
NHL Stenden Hogeschool - Maritiem Instituut Willem Barentsz
North.io GmbH
Periplus Consultancy BV
Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein - Institut für Toxikologie und Pharmakologie
Deutsches Schifffahrtsmuseum - Leibniz-Institut für Maritime Geschichte
SeaTerra Geophysik & Kampfmittel Dienstleistungen GmbH
Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen
EXPLOAD B.V

Within NHL Stenden:

W. van der Velde (Maritime Law professorship)
Lecturer-researchers and students from programmes at MIWB and the Safety and Security Management programme