German, Norwegian Companies Partner to Remove Unexploded Ordnance in German Waters

Rheinmetall and WilNor Governmental Services, together with experienced Norwegian and German companies, will collaborate to remove unexploded ordnance in North Sea and Baltic Sea.

The partners will answer the request for quote issued by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, for ordnance removal.

With reference to an earlier statement by German Naval Yards, Rheinmetall bring together partners to answer the request for quote (RFQ) issued by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV). Complimenting experience and infrastructure make for a strong constellation between Rheinmetall, WilNor Governmental Services, and an extended group of companies. Together, the constellation brings extensive experience and technology to remove unexploded ordnance safely and responsibly.

Rheinmetall has extensive and long-standing expertise in this domain, having planned and implemented concepts and facilities for ammunition disposal for many years.

WilNor Governmental Services, a subsidiary company of the Wilhelmsen group, brings the logistics and maritime operations element. The Wilhelmsen group, based in Norway, is the world's largest maritime network, with activities concentrated on providing products and services to the maritime industry, offshore logistics and technology, renewable energy, ship management, and complex logistical solutions for operating under difficult offshore conditions.

The partners plan to jointly develop and operate an innovative offshore platform for ammunition disposal. Contaminated sites will be cleaned up in a safe and responsible manner, with ammunition disposal taking place offshore at the innovative offshore platform, minimising the danger to marine life and the natural environment.

Plans for future offshore wind turbine parks in the same waters, demands a safe seabed. Enabling that reality requires responsible and safe removal of millions of tons of unexploded ordnance first.

“We want to assure a cleaner and healthier marine environment. Unexploded ordnance and substances can be unstable and dangerous, and we will avoid the risk of transporting these. It is therefore important that we can safely and responsibly recover unexploded ordnance and render it harmless on the spot. We also aim to minimise the impact on the underwater world and its inhabitants, and prevent future hazards,” says Dr. Deniz Akitürk, managing director of Rheinmetall Project Solutions GmbH. “Time is of the essence because the condition of the ammunition is deteriorating. Effects on the environment are already visible.”

The constellation of companies is ready to build a reliable unexploded ordnance value chain and look for quick implementation to start surveys and preparations early in 2024. Once all preparation and necessary regulatory processes are completed, the constellation is ready to construct the innovative offshore platform.

The constellation companies are able to expand from pilot to a full-scale industrial level value chain that can handle more efficient multiple platforms in several operational areas simultaneously.