South Pacific: Sunk Costs: The Urgent Call for Shipwreck Removal in the Pacific
Marc Coenen
Beneath the glistening turquoise water of the Pacific Ocean lies a deadly legacy of conflict and neglect. An estimated 3,800 shipwrecks, including those during World War II, remain scattered along the ocean floor, primarily in the water of the South Pacific. The Pacific masks the long-lasting environmental and social costs of these sunken relics. Left to corrode, these shipwrecks pose a growing crisis to unique marine ecosystems, public health and the livelihoods of local communities. However, growing advocacy by non-governmental organisations, scientists, archaeologists, and nation-states seeks to emphasise global cooperation using the existing Nairobi convention under the UN Law of the Sea.
The Legacy of WWII Shipwrecks in the Pacific
It is difficult to imagine that the serenity and unique beauty of the Pacific was the epicentre of intense naval conflict between imperial Japan and allied forces. The Battle of Guadalcanal remains one of the turning point conflicts in the Pacific theatre, and the legacies of tonnage remain. Off the shores of the Solomon Islands' largest island, Guadalcanal, the remains of the USS Atlanta continue to pollute local marine life and impact the daily lives of people in Honiara.
More than eighty years on, the USS Atlanta continues to leak fuel into the ocean. Collectively, Pacific nations, including Micronesia, Palau, and the Marshall Islands, penned an open letter to Japan framed as a ‘moral responsibility’. Yet, little has been done by Pacific Island Countries to resolve the concerns.
Outside of fuel leaks, the urgency to address ordnance and explosive devices, such as underwater sea mines, is being discovered by local communities. These wrecks have been described as a ‘ticking time bomb’ as many are still active with ordnance and chemicals. As the ships corrode in the salty waters, there is a greater chance of structural collapse. Dr James Hunter from Australia’s National Maritime Museum suggested that “it will release all of the contaminants into the water immediately”.
New Zealand’s Responsibility in Shipwreck Clean-ups
The grounding of HMNZS Manawanui in October 2024 brought global attention to the risks of sunken navy vessels in the Pacific. A diesel fuel slick lines the ocean surface near Tafitoala in Samoa, yet New Zealand is engaged in an active clean-up process. Additionally, a comprehensive wreck assessment conducted by the New Zealand Navy aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the ongoing impacts of wrecks on reef and marine environments.
Commodore Andrew Brown of the New Zealand Navy affirmed that “there was some leakage of fuel and oil but not of the main fuel tanks”. However, local communities challenge Commodore Brown’s assessment, arguing that around 200,000 litres of diesel have leaked into the Ocean. This has not gone unnoticed, with fishermen going about their normal day and catching fish “covered in oil”. New Zealand authorities continue to support wreckage clean-ups with the deployment of 60 NZDF personnel working alongside Samoan authorities.
Challenges of Shipwreck Removal in the Pacific
Logistical and financial barriers prevent Pacific island countries from addressing the continued environmental devastation. Events such as the 2019 Kangava Bay oil spill showcase the threat to local jobs, resulting in intergenerational impacts to growing wealth inequalities and negative health outcomes. Dr Matt Carter has been mapping shipwrecks around the Solomon Islands, revealing that sunken wrecks in Chuuk Lagoon are logistically easier to access. In comparison, the USS Atlanta, located in Iron Bottom Sound, lies on the seafloor along with dozens of other ships engaged in naval warfare during World War II.
Commercial liners are also implicated in the management of sunken vessels. The decision by commercial companies such as the World Discover in 2000 to beach the wrecked cruise ships rather than remove them from areas had assurances similar to the New Zealand Navy. However, locals continue to claim that fuel continues to contaminate local waterways 25 years after the event. Independent costing of removing a ship can cost upwards of $20-30 million, which has resulted in companies and navies focusing on the removal of oil.
The Nairobi Convention and Global Cooperation
The Nairobi Convention under the International Law of the Sea seeks to promote greater regional cooperation towards greater sustainable development and protection of marine environments near the littorals of coastal states. Due to global trade's reliance on sea lanes of communication, international law lacked a convention to address the negative effects. These have ranged from future wreckages in exclusive economic zones to the loss of cargo into the ocean.
Signatories of the Nairobi Convention have included the Cook Islands, the Marshall Islands, Niue, Palau, Tonga and Tuvalu. This demonstrates a concerted effort by Pacific Island countries, including Nauru, in 2020 to advocate for change and protection of marine environments.
At present, the Nairobi Convention solely focuses on modern sea commerce and does not acknowledge the ongoing impacts of the estimated 3,800 wrecks dating back to World War II.
Importantly, the role of non-governmental organisations such as Major Project Foundation are central to locating and examining sunken ships from the Pacific theatre. Working across different disciplines such as history, archaeology and sub-sea oil engineering, the Major Project Foundation engages in an intensive process across the region.
At a regional level, Pacific nations continue to press for the importance of bringing international attention to this issue. The impacts and lack of attention to wreckage across Oceania continue to impact the daily lives of Pacific Islanders, with little plan in place to address the intergenerational health impacts.
