Key facts
- Israeli divers are conducting an experiment to locate and clear mock munitions from the Mediterranean seabed.
- The project aims to reclaim approximately 2 kilometers of shoreline in Rishon LeZion, Israel.
- Underwater munitions pose risks of environmental contamination and accidental explosions.
- The initiative is part of a broader global effort to protect marine waters.
- Challenges include the difficulty of finding submerged objects in complex underwater terrain.
An Israeli experiment to clear unexploded ordnance from the Mediterranean seabed is underway, aiming to return a section of shoreline to residents and contribute to a global effort to protect marine environments. Divers from Israel's National Institute of Oceanography are participating in the project, which focuses on locating and removing munitions that have accumulated over decades from use as a firing range.
The initiative in Rishon LeZion seeks to reclaim approximately 2 kilometers of coastline, which has been off-limits to civilians for nearly 80 years. The presence of underwater munitions poses risks of environmental contamination from toxic chemicals and heavy metals, as well as the danger of accidental explosions. Experts describe the task as akin to finding a needle in a haystack due to the difficulty of locating submerged objects in complex underwater terrain.
This effort coincides with a growing global awareness of the need to protect the world's waters, driven partly by the expansion of underwater fiber-optic cables for AI infrastructure. Europe has ongoing projects to detect and clear non-military unexploded ordnance, and Germany has piloted a program to remove military waste from the North and Baltic Seas, where an estimated 1.6 million tonnes of munitions lie from the world wars. However, the Middle East, particularly the Mediterranean, has historically received less attention for such clearance efforts compared to Europe.
Israel's project is notable for its focus on smaller munitions in challenging underwater environments, a factor that has led many countries to avoid similar initiatives. The driving force behind the effort is the limited beach space available in Israel, with nearly half of the country's 194-kilometer coastline already designated for commercial ports, power plants, military bases, and firing zones.