German Navy contributes to energy security

From a press release by the Navy

On Monday, 24 October 2022, the minehunter "Bad Bevensen" and the minesweeper "Bad Rappenau" departed from the naval base in Kiel to actively participate in the search for contaminated sites in the sea area off Lubmin (east of Greifswald). The construction of an LNG terminal is planned there. The two mine countermeasure units will search the seabed to determine the absence of explosive ordnance. The units of the 3rd mine detection squadron and the sea battalion mine divers on board are specially equipped and trained for this task. By detecting contaminated sites, they will make a contribution to energy security in Germany for the German Navy.

Minehunting boat Bad Bevensen entering Warnemünde. Photo: Bundeswehr/Marcel Kröncke

Background

The munitions that have been lying on the seabed for decades are a danger to life and limb as well as our environment. Many thousands of tonnes of old munitions are still lying on the Baltic seabed in German waters, according to estimates by the munitions expert group of the federal and state working group on the North Sea and Baltic Sea (BLANO).

The German Navy's minehunting boats have several ways of searching for and eliminating underwater dangers. Cable-guided underwater drones can identify and destroy mines. Mine divers from the naval battalion are used to disable explosive devices in hard-to-reach places such as harbours or shallow waters.