Disarming the ecological timebombs of WW2, honouring the fallen by protecting the future they fought for.
Project Guardian is an intelligence-led mission to make safe the toxic legacy of more than 8,500 WWII shipwrecks before they precipitate the environmental disasters they are gradually moving toward.
Potential Polluting Wrecks
Tons Oil / Haz Fuel
Years Corrosion
More Than Environmental Risk
Many of these wrecks are also war graves. The vessels that lie on the seabed across the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Arctic carry not only fuel and munitions but the remains of those who served and died on them. Project Guardian works only with the consent of the relevant coastal state and, where appropriate, the flag state. The wreck structures and the remains they hold are preserved in situ; what is removed is the threat they pose to the surrounding environment.
A pre-emptive response can be respectful in ways that an emergency response cannot afford to be.
A Present-Day Crisis
This is not a distant historical issue. A reactive “wait-and-see” approach is no longer tenable. Only a systematic, preventative strategy can address this legacy before irreversible harm occurs.
- Chronic Leaks: Persistent seepage at heritage wrecks indicates unmanaged ongoing release potential.
- Sunken Fleets: Clustered WWII vessel groups place reef ecosystems under cumulative stress.
An Accelerating Threat
The passage of time is not the only factor. Increasing environmental instability is accelerating the decay of these wrecks. More frequent and intense storms, seismic activity in vulnerable zones, and the chemical effects of ocean warming and acidification are placing immense stress on these corroding hulls. Each earthquake or major storm could trigger a catastrophic failure and a major pollution event.
The WERP Protocol Explained
The Wreck Environmental Risk Prioritisation (WERP) Protocol is a strategic, data-driven framework for identifying, assessing and managing Potentially Polluting Wrecks (PPWs). It transforms an overwhelming inventory into a defensible roadmap so resources target the highest combined probability & impact.
Phase 1: Strategic Prioritisation
AI-driven assessment of every potentially polluting wreck in a region, drawing on historical records, vessel data, manifests, and geographic context. Phase 1 produces a defensible risk-ranked inventory before any in-water cost is incurred — the wedge that lets a coastal state, insurer, or institutional reviewer understand the scale and shape of their wreck-related exposure.
Phase 2: In-Situ Validation
Targeted subsea survey of prioritised wrecks using high-resolution sonar, multibeam echo sounder, photogrammetry, and ROV inspection. Phase 2 produces the certified hazard characterisation required for environmental impact assessment, regulatory submission, and remediation planning — the operational layer that turns priority into action.
Guardian Sentry: Continuous Monitoring
Ongoing surveillance correlating seismic activity, storm events, and environmental indicators against the assessed wreck portfolio. Sentry identifies assets requiring reassessment before they become incidents — turning the wreck portfolio from a one-time survey into a managed, monitored standing capability.
Key Components
WCS
Structural state & pollutant retention potential.
PHS
Pollutant Hazard (fuel, munitions, hazardous media).
ESI
Multi-dimensional ecological & socio-economic vulnerability — proximity to coastline, overlap with marine protected areas, tourism exposure, commercial fishing impact, and general ecosystem sensitivity.
RPM
Release Probability Modifier (climate & stress multipliers).
Operational Capability
How the intelligence platform is delivered into the water.
Project Guardian's intelligence platform is delivered into the water by Deeptrek, a marine specialist operation with a forty-year lineage tracing back to its founding in 1986. Deeptrek's current capability combines deep-water environmental intervention, wreck and salvage leadership, and Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) command-and-control technology.
Subsea operations are delivered through Deeptrek's established technology partnerships with industry-leading providers of subsea laser and photogrammetric imaging systems and professional-grade remotely operated vehicles. Where in-water remediation is required following survey, Deeptrek works with regional marine salvage and project specialists who can be brought in under appropriate consent and contractual arrangements.
Years operational lineage
Founded
End-to-end mission capability
Partners
Operational Partners
Charitable Partners
Secure Our Marine Ecosystems for Future Generations
Join a global alliance turning submarine liabilities into managed, monitored and ultimately mitigated outcomes.
A pre-emptive response can be respectful in ways that an emergency response cannot afford to be.
Three Ways to Engage
For Coastal States & Institutional Partners
Engage with us
Discuss a Project Guardian deployment in your waters, a survey of your wreck portfolio, or integration with a port redevelopment or environmental remediation programme.
Engage with usFor Sponsors & Foundations
Support the Mission
Support the mission through targeted funding, equipment sponsorship, or co-branded operational programmes.
Support the MissionFor Media & Researchers
Contact us
Press enquiries, academic collaboration, or methodology access requests.
Contact usGeneral enquiries: project-guardian@deeptrek.net