This operation is taking place in the Bay of Lübeck, in northern Germany, where polluting and dangerous war remnants, including bombs, mines and torpedoes, lie at a depth of about 20 metres. Most of them still contain chemicals that need to be neutralized.

In order to identify them and then safely bring them to the surface, the German company SeaTerra is deploying a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), a kind of underwater drone capable of detecting explosives before capturing them and bringing them to the surface.

The device is equipped with cameras, sensors and grabber arms. This technology makes it possible to locate and defuse munitions efficiently before removing them from the water. An initial test was successfully carried out in the fall of 2024.

The German government, supported by the European Union, has already invested €100 million in this pilot project, aimed at developing automated methods for cleaning up the seabed.

The long-term objective is to develop recognised technology capable of doing the same thing wherever explosive devices remain along Europe’s coastlines.

The aim is to protect the population from any pollution caused by chemicals that might leak from these munitions.