Projects and Initiatives

MMinE-SwEEPER

Marine Munition in Europe - Solutions with Economic and Ecological Profits for Efficient Remediation 

• Funding: Horizon Europe 
• Duration: 10/2024 - 03/2028 

The MMinE-SwEEPER project aims to enhance Europe’s capacity for non-military UXO clearance. It focuses on advancing technologies such as automated detection, environmental monitoring, burial and corrosion predictions, and secure data exchange. Additional efforts include compiling knowledge, addressing legal frameworks, developing training, and stakeholder outreach. Outcomes include AI-supported detection, identification, and Smart-AUV/USV integration, with technologies reaching a stage where they are tested in real-world conditions and ready for further development toward commercial use. 

https://mminesweeper-munition.eu/

MUNIMAP

Baltic Sea Munitions Remediation Roadmap 

• Funding: Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2021-2027 
• Duration: 3/2024-2/2027 

MUNIMAP will accelerate and coordinate national munition management programmes by developing a modular roadmap for Baltic Sea munitions remediation. This includes policy recommendations, IT tools for site prioritisation, monitoring strategies, and innovative, cost-effective, eco-friendly remediation methods, all designed with user groups.

Pilot activities will cover key remediation stages: detection, risk assessment, prioritisation, remediation, monitoring, and result evaluation. The project supports national authorities and agencies facing legal, financial, and practical challenges in managing sea-dumped munitions while ensuring safety and environmental protection.

https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/munimap/

MUNI-RISK

Mitigation of Risks due to submerged munitions for a sustainable development of the Baltic Sea 

• Funding: EMFAF
• Duration: 11/2024-10/2027 

MUNI-RISK is an EU-funded project focused on tackling the risks from old munitions lying on the seabed in the Baltic Sea. These munitions, remnants of past conflicts such as the Second World War, pose environmental and safety risks that need to be carefully managed. MUNI-RISK brings together scientists and practitioners to find solutions that support safe maritime activities, such as fishing, and responsible marine resource development, including building offshore wind farms. By the end of the MUNI-RISK project, countries around the Baltic Sea will have practical tools and guidelines to safely manage munitions risks. 

https://muni-risk.eu/

EROVMUS

Enhanced Remote Operated Vehicle interface for Munition Studies 

• Funding: MarTERA ERA-NET COFUND 
• Duration: 07/2022 - 06/2025 

Project EROVMUS aims to enhance Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) interfaces for more efficient and cost-effective operations in underwater munition missions. It will develop a multi-sensory platform and improved software, focusing on navigation, autonomous identification, and image enhancement. A heads-up display will integrate sensor data, reducing screen clutter, while virtual reality solutions will enable large virtual displays. The project will test and optimise tools for compatibility with various ROVs, fostering innovation, job creation, and competitiveness in the European underwater technology sector.

https://www.era-learn.eu/network-information/networks/martera/martera-call-2021/enhanced-remote-operated-vehicle-interface-for-munition-studies

REMARCO

Remediation, Management, Monitoring and Cooperation addressing North Sea UXO

• Funding: Interreg North Sea Region Programme 2021-2027
• Duration: 07/2023 - 06/2027

After decades in seawater, the munitions from the world wars are in various stages of corrosion. Beyond the dangers of an uncontrolled explosion, water, sediment, and samples of organisms were collected as part of the predecessor project North Sea Wrecks, which revealed traces of toxic munitions compounds in subsequent laboratory analyses. These substances are suspected of causing health problems in exposed mussels and fish and could ultimately reach people’s plates through the food chain.

With REMARCO, we aim to help reduce pollution in marine ecosystems caused by World War II munitions by developing remediation concepts for munitions hotspots and testing internationally validated (partially) automated monitoring methods. In addition, REMARCO provides software-based risk assessment systems for the relevant authorities in the North Sea Region to prioritise contaminated marine areas. Furthermore, REMARCO supplies information and data relevant to regional organisations (e.g. OSPAR, UNESCO) to support the inclusion of this issue in international monitoring strategies and the assessment of cultural heritage sites such as wrecks.

www.interregnorthsea.eu/remarco/about-us

BaltWreck

Preventing massive marine waters chemical pollution from the teaking wrecks and munition/ weapon dumps in the south Baltic

• Funding: Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021-2027
• Duration: 7/2024 - 6/2027

The BaltWreck project aims to reduce pollution in the Baltic Sea caused by hazardous substances from military and civilian shipwrecks, such as fuels and munitions. The project focuses on developing diagnostic methods for wrecks, studying remediation technologies for hazardous fuels and munitions, assessing the toxicological risks to marine ecosystems, and creating risk management tools. It includes engaging local municipalities in decision-making through workshops and campaigns, providing recommendations for policy makers, and creating documentation for cultural heritage institutions and virtual wreck tours to enhance tourism.

https://www.imp.gda.pl/en/projects/interreg-programmes/baltwreck/

CONMAR II

Concept for conventional Marine munition Remediation in the German North and Baltic Sea 

• Funding: sustainMare "Protection and sustainable use of marine areas" funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research Germany
• Duration: 12/2024-11/2027 

CONMAR, funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research, aims to study the impact of marine munitions in the North and Baltic Seas. It integrates data from various sources to assess distribution, ecological impact, and potential remediation strategies. Through collaboration with stakeholders, CONMAR seeks to inform policy and advance the understanding of this environmental issue. 

https://conmar-munition.eu/

BorDEx

Development and construction of a mobile demonstrator for the thermal disposal of explosives from coastal dumped munitions 

• Funding: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany (BMWK) 
• Duration: 07/2024 - 06/2027 

The BorDEx project (development and construction of a mobile demonstrator for the thermal disposal of explosives from coastal munitions waste) creates a basis for the disposal of critical munitions waste in coastal areas that has not yet been technically feasible. By building a mobile demonstrator, the disposal of conventional, large-caliber, difficult-to-transport munitions from maritime areas is to be taken one step closer to a standard procedure with different locations. 

https://bordex.de/

IRAV

Industrial clearance of hazardous waste from dumping sites at sea

• Funding: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany
• Duration: 6/2023 – 11/2025

The IRAV project address challenges like sedimented ordnance. The project develops technological and experimental solutions to overcome these hurdles.  Demonstrators are created to validate the feasibility, applicability, and cost-effectiveness of the individual technologies. IRAV leverages its own technical infrastructure, including mission ships, mobile autonomous platforms, data acquisition and processing systems, and a comprehensive suite of distributed sensors and sub-systems.  The project also incorporates findings from other research projects to close remaining gaps. System designs will prioritize compatibility with relevant interfaces of other systems.

https://www.iwes.fraunhofer.de/en/research-projects/current-projects/irav.html