Germany’s Program on Underwater Munitions
Claus Böttcher
General Manager
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
1
What is „BLANO“?
Coats of arms
Represented governmental organization
Government of the Federal Republic of Germany
• Ministry of Environment…
• Ministry of Traffic…
Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg
• Senator for the Interior
Federal State of Mecklenburg‐West. Pommerania
• Ministry for the Interior
• Ministry for Energy, Agriculture, the Env. …
Federal State of Lower Saxsony
• Ministry for the Interior
• Ministry for Energy, Agriculture, the Env. …
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
21.04.2015
Federal State of Schleswig‐Holstein
• Ministry for the Interior
• Ministry for Energy, Agriculture, the Env. …
www.underwatermunitions.de
2
Where on Earth is Kiel?
Norwegean Sea
North Sea
Baltic Sea
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
© Google Earth
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
3
Simplified Chart on
munitions‐contaminated areas
German part of North Sea
rd. 1.300.000 t rd. 90 t
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
21.04.2015
Munitions
conventional
chemical
munitions dumpsites
munitions‐contaminated area
suspected munitions‐contaminated area
German part of Baltic Sea
rd. 300.000 t rd. 5.000 t
Number and density of symbols do not reflect the magnitude of potential munitions contamination.
(t = metric tons)!
www.underwatermunitions.de
4
You might imagine now, why we are in concern?
Baltic Sea
North Sea
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
21.04.2015
© Google Earth + http://cns.miis.edu
www.underwatermunitions.de
5
5th International Dialogue on Underwater Munitions
GERMANY‘S PROGRAM ON UNDERWATER MUNITIONS
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
6
Milestones
1940er
1969/71
„Jäckel‐Report“ on offshore dumping of chemical munitions (Min. of Defense)
1993
Report „Chemical munitions in southern and western Baltic“ (Fed. Maritime Agency, 1993)
2009
Update und expansion of the study of FMA from 1993
WG
geographically on German territorial waters
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
thematically on conventional munitions
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
7
Aims of the report
Turn around from reactive to systematic approach
A common picture
• on all types of dumped munitions
• in all German territorial marine waters
• on the basis of present knowledge
Assess the situation
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
Recommendations
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
8
BLMP‐Report (Effective 2011)
BLMP‐Bericht
„Munitions in German Marine Waters ‐
Stocktaking and Recommendations
(Effective 2011)”
Cross‐administrative working group of federal and coastal states representatives
app. 1,100 pages
Claus Böttcher
December 5th, 2011
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
9
Overall assessment (Effective 2011)
Currently, it is not discernible that a large‐
scale threat to the marine environment exists beyond the local area of munitions contaminated areas, nor is any foreseeable in the future.
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
Hazards exists for people involved in activities bringing them into direct contact with the sea floor of the North and Baltic Seas.
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
10
The common way ahead
• Stabilize and continue the successful work under the new roof of BLANO (Marine Strategy Directive)
Underwater Munition: dormant Hazard
Recommended procedures for sufficient assessments of contaminated areas
Fact sheet for fishermen and offshore worker
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
Recommended procedures for
• Data collection (Archives)
• Information management
• Centralized documentation
• Risk assesment
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
11
Research in German und International Military archives
• German Federal Archives
– Department Military Archive (Freiburg)
– German Military History Office
• Municipal and local archives
– Sea port records
– Village and town chronicles
• International archives
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
– Imperial War Museum (London)
– The National Archive, Washington DC.
– Archive of Allied Forces Conucil (WW II)
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
12
Example: Historic research I
Mine barriers World War I. and II.
213 Dän. Mines I.+ II.WW 1.551 Ger. Mines WW I 994 Ger. Mines WW II
4325 English Ground Mines
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
www.underwatermunitions.de
21.04.2015
13
Examples for results
• Naval data on sea mine warfare material
– Maps on Pages 24 and 25 of long version
• Mines deployed from ships and planes
• Disarmament and sea dumping
– Localtion of troops
– Directives of military administration
– Memorandom of executive units
Deployment of mines nd, 1944
–on Sept. 22
Reports to supervisors within the Nazi regime
– Eye witnesses reports
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
14
Example: Historic research II
British Mine Laying in waterway
Kiel lighthouse
Claus Böttcher
• Royal Air Force laid 3,896 Ground mines in mine gardens „Wallflower“, „Melon“ and „Forget me not“
• During the War 95 ships hit
• 114 mines found on land
• 1,002 mines swept during the war
• Roughly 2,000 mines swept after WW II
• 350 to 700 mines still suspected near
waterways
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
15
Example Historic research III
En Route dumping
Wichert (2012): Dumping of German cruise missiles WW II (V1)
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
21.04.2015
Wichert (2012): Dumping of Mustard gas, April 1945
www.underwatermunitions.de
16
Systematic assessment of areas under suspect
• Technical assessments
– Side scan sonar
– Sensors based on natural magnetism
– Chemical analysis of livestock, water and sediment
• Co‐operation of coastal authorities
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
– Common Process for useful data to all perspectives of co‐operating authorities
– coordination of scientific sails,  better synergy
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
17
Example: Technical Assessment
2012/2013
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
• Location Kiel Lighthouse area
• Aim
Survey of an known dumping
area
• Result I 4,883 Contacts with < 350 Kg Explosives each in the dumping
area
• Result II 31 English Ground mines, 2 Bomb mines, 1 Naval mine, 2 Torpedo heads eliminated
!!! In the nearby waterway !!!
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
18
Area of operation
Contacts before start: 2639
NATO UNCLASSIFIED
Notification and reporting system
• Incidents with
– UXO, DMM or munitions constituents offshore:
– Explosives, Chemical Warfare Agents (CWA) or white Phosphorus
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
• Unified vocal point founded recently
• Operational 2013
(148 findings)
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
20
Mission accomplished?
!! Make up your own opinion !!
German part of North Sea
rd. 1.300.000 t rd. 90 t
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
21.04.2015
Munitions
conventional
chemical
munitions dumpsites
munitions‐contaminated area
suspected munitions‐contaminated area
German part of Baltic Sea
rd. 300.000 t rd. 5.000 t
Number and density of symbols do not reflect the magnitude of potential munitions contamination.
(t = metric tons)!
www.underwatermunitions.de
21
Watch out!
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
22
www.underwatermunitions.de
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
23
Thank you for your attention
Claus Böttcher
HELCOM Submerged #2
Bonn,
21.04.2015
www.underwatermunitions.de
24