Considerations for dealing with unexploded ordnance on maritime engineering projects

Huge areas of the seabed and many shores around the world have, at one time or another, been subject to some form of military activity, which has left an unwelcome legacy of unexploded ordnance (UXO) within the marine environment. With an ever-increasing number of maritime engineering projects being developed, especially with the rapid growth of the marine renewable energy sector, the prospect of potentially hazardous encounters with UXO is a matter that demands serious consideration. The threat of UXO being present within, or in close proximity to, a project site can lead to significant safety, environmental and economic risks that need to be adequately assessed and managed. This paper presents an assimilation of the present state of scientific knowledge and collates examples of good practice and latest international guidance and standards from a wide range of literature sources to provide discussion of practical considerations concerning the assessment and management of UXO containing high explosives. A background to the issues surrounding the legacy presence of UXO in the marine environment is presented for context, together with a framework for the assessment and management of the risks posed to various marine activities.