The Department of Transportation (DOT) is warning people not to explore shipwrecks that fall under the authority of the United States.
The notice issued July 17 is a reminder that United States custody and control extends to any shipwreck of a vessel or cargo that was owned or under the charter of the Maritime Administration (MARAD) at the time of its sinking.
“No disturbance or recovery from these shipwrecks or their cargoes may legally take place without the express permission of MARAD,” the agency stated.
This applies to all wrecks no matter when or where–whether in U.S., foreign, or international waters–they sank.
Written consent from the administration is required for activities at a shipwreck. The administration stated that it “prefers non-intrusive, in situ research,” though it recognized that “in certain situations, disturbance or artifact recovery may be justified or become necessary.”
War graves associated with MARAD-protected wrecks are also protected, the notice said.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there are an estimated 20,000 shipwrecks in U.S. waters.
Shipwreck Looting
Several governments have expressed concern in recent years over the looting of World War II shipwrecks.“We are distressed and concerned at the apparent vandalism for personal profit of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse,” Dominic Tweddle, the director general of The National Museum of the Royal Navy, wrote in a statement. “We are upset at the loss of naval heritage and the impact this has on the understanding of our Royal Navy history.”
While the wrecks remain a key part of World War II history, they are also the gravesites of many sailors.
“A strategy is vital to determine how to assess and manage these wrecks in the most efficient and effective manner,” Mr. Tweddle said. “Above all, we must remember the crews who served on these lost ships and all too often gave their lives in the service of their country.”
In 2017, Dutch, British, and U.S. authorities reported that naval vessels sunk in World War II’s Battle of the Java Sea had been salvaged without permission.
“The bronze propellers off of larger vessels are worth $40,000 to $50,000,” professor Mark Staniforth told CNN.
In the same year, The Guardian reported that more than 40 World War II-era warships around the South China and Java seas were destroyed by salvage divers. The hulls are estimated to contain the bodies of 4,500 crew members.
Scavengers are increasingly targeting old shipwrecks for their rare low-background steel, also known as “pre-war steel,” BBC News reported. The low radiation in the steel makes it a rare and valuable resource for use in medical and scientific equipment.
