The Global Risk of Marine Pollution From Wwii Shipwrecks: Examples From the Seven Seas

Abstract

The world took notice and action when the oil tanker Prestige sank and leaked oil onto the coast of Spain and France. Significant resources and considerable money was allocated to locate the wreck, patch the leaks and eventually offload the remaining oil. What is not well known, is that there is a significantly larger global marine pollution threat from over 7800 sunken WWII vessels worldwide, including over 860 oil tankers, corroding for over 60 years at the bottom of the worlds oceans.Over the past three years, in conjunction with the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), a project has been completed by the author to compile data on WWII shipwrecks across the Asia/Pacific region. This regional risk assessment is probably the first and most complete of its type so far published.The Geographic Information System (GIS) database created for the Asia Pacific waters details ship type, tonnage and location of over 3,800 vessels lost in WWII. This amounts to over 13 million tons of sunken vessels in the Pacific alone ranging from aircraft carriers to battleships, and including over 330 tankers and oilers.The creation of the Asia Pacific database acted as a catalyst to the creation of the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean (AMIO) WWII shipwreck database. This new geographic database, although still in its initial development, highlights the significant number of WWII shipwrecks globally. The AMIO database details the location and ownership of over 3950 vessels, over 1000 tons, of which 529 are oil tankers.Manuscript Control Number: 93 -1 -This paper details the information contained within the AMIO WWII shipwreck database including the potential oil and non-oil sources of marine pollution from these vessels. WWII shipwrecks are unique from commercial and non-military shipwrecks due to sovereignty, jurisdictional and ownership issues and these differences will also be discussed. The paper concludes with a summary for future directions to address the many response and preparedness issues associated with WWII shipwrecks.

The effects of modern war and military activities on biodiversity and the environment

“…Although this led to devastating consequences for human life, the resulting ship wrecks created a large number of artificial reefs where aquatic life could colonize, utilize, and flourish (Hynes et al 2004). While there are concerns regarding long-term contamination with sunken naval craft (Westing 1980;Martore et al 1998;Ampleman et al 2004;Monfils 2005;Barrett 2011; see the section entitled "Military contamination"), these vessels have proven to be a source of new habitat for aquatic life in areas of the ocean that were largely devoid of structure for animals to colonize (Hynes et al 2004). …”

“…Similarly, wreckages from naval ships pose certain risks for the marine ecosystem in which they are found. Oil contamination in the Atlantic Ocean due to WWII shipwrecks alone is estimated at over 15 million tonnes (Monfils 2005). Much of the oil still resides within these wrecks and will pose future problems as the vessels begin to degrade (Westing 1980;Monfils 2005).…”

“…Oil contamination in the Atlantic Ocean due to WWII shipwrecks alone is estimated at over 15 million tonnes (Monfils 2005). Much of the oil still resides within these wrecks and will pose future problems as the vessels begin to degrade (Westing 1980;Monfils 2005). In much the same manner, during the conflict in Kosovo, shelling of civilian infrastructure, namely, manufacturing plants, resulted in a significant but unintentional emission of industrial contaminants into the environment (Haavisto et al 1999).…”

Remote identification of a shipwreck site from MBES backscatter

“…However, the structure of a shipwreck may collapse long before the walls are fully corroded due to structural weakening (Basta and Kennedy, 2004;Melchers, 2005). Thus, it is probable that the wrecks sunk during World War II (WWII) could release their pollutants in increasing numbers during the next two decades; evidence of WWII shipwreck-derived hydrocarbon pollution has already been seen (Monfils, 2005). As a consequence, the presence of potentially polluting shipwrecks (PPSWs) is now universally recognized as a serious hazard, and approaches to this latent form of pollution have changed, emphasizing the need to prevent the release rather than only responding to it.…”

Inspecting the inside of the objects lying on the seafloor

“…What is not well known, is that there is a significantly larger global marine pollution threat from over 7800 sunken WWII vessels worldwide, including over 860 oil tankers, corroding for over 60 years at the bottom of the world's oceans. Recently, in conjunction with the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), a project has been completed by Monfils [1] to compile data on WWII shipwrecks across the Asia/Pacific region. This regional risk assessment is probably the first and most complete of its type so far published.…”