We know that millions of tonnes of munitions lie on or beneath the seabed in Europe's seas and surrounding ocean waters, most of them a legacy of past wars and military activities, while ongoing conflicts keep adding to them. JPI Oceans has been instrumental in bringing the topic into science-policy debate and is now actively engaged in developing solutions. What started with our own Joint Action over a decade ago has continued more recently through our strategic engagement in two EU-funded projects, MMinE-SwEEPER and CAMMera. One thing is evident: the momentum for action has never been greater. But what is driving that momentum, and what is JPI Oceans’ contribution to it?
Currently, several research projects, funded by the European Union, regional organisations such as the Council of the Baltic Sea States, and national programmes, are addressing the issue. Over the past two decades, most attention in policy and research has concentrated on the North and Baltic Seas and environmental implications. Increasingly, efforts are extending also to other parts of Europe and shifting focus to removing munitions on an industrial scale, bringing disposal practices and governance questions into sharper focus.
JPI Oceans has taken a leading role in bringing together the work of research and innovation projects on munitions in the sea, centralising knowledge on the topic, and bringing scientific findings into policy discussions. This is particularly important as national and European initiatives gather pace. Germany has launched an Immediate Action Programme backed by €400 million in funding, while the European Commission has announced plans under the European Ocean Pact to develop an EU Strategy for the Safe Remediation of Munitions in European seas. Alongside these developments, conferences dedicated to munitions in the sea, especially in the UK and Germany, and industry working groups involving dredging companies and offshore developers are becoming more common. The topic has also begun to attract media attention.
JPI Oceans has contributed through a range of actions:
- Established the Munitions in the Sea Community, with a unique brand, regular exchanges between research projects to coordinate communication and dissemination, and shared social media presence.
- Worked with partners to centralise munitions-related research outputs in a publicly accessible “Munitions in the Sea” library, and expanded the JPI Oceans Knowledge Portal Munitions in the Sea.
- Facilitated policy and governance discussions at regional workshops in the Black Sea, North Sea, European Atlantic and Mediterranean, as well as at EU and international levels.
- Built connections to global actors, such as the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research.
- Involved EU agencies such as the European Fisheries Control Agency and Frontex in research activities.
- Supported the establishment of the Young Munition Researchers Network, to facilitate exchange and career development of early career professionals.
- Facilitated the organisation of press briefings and webinars.
- Contributed to EU policymaking, for instance, with a joint response to the consultation process of the European Ocean Act.
- Co-developed an annual symposium with Fraunhofer ICT as a central platform for science and technology on the mitigation of munition in the sea.
Holding this bundle of threads in our hands enables JPI Oceans to mediate progress at the intersection of science and policy, alongside the European Commission, and contributing to important milestones. Together with the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, JPI Oceans has been advocating over the last few months for a revision of the International Mine Action Standard (IMAS) 09.60 on Underwater Survey and Clearance of Explosive Ordnance, published in 2014. The standard provides an international reference for developing national standards and procedures for underwater survey and clearance.
With substantial research conducted in the course of eleven years, we believe the standard should be updated to reflect new knowledge and operational experience. This includes clarifying how it applies to different categories of munitions, such as UXO (unexploded ordnance) and AXO (abandoned explosive ordnance). Broadly, UXO refers to ordnance prepared for use or used that remains unexploded, while AXO refers to unused ordnance left behind or dumped by a party to a conflict and no longer under its control. These distinctions matter for assessing risks and choosing appropriate clearance and disposal methods.
Confirmation that the standard would be revised came during the Munitions in the Sea Symposium in Monaco on 16 September 2026, when the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining confirmed that the revision had been included in the IMAS Review Board’s upcoming work plan. This is an encouraging example of how scientific knowledge and dialogue can succeed in guiding concrete action.
The gathering in Monaco also tied the work happening today with JPI Oceans’ own history. Munitions in the Sea was originally brought to the JPI Oceans Management Board by Italy. In subsequent years, growing activity among the Baltic Sea states placed a strong focus on the North and Baltic Seas. Returning to the Mediterranean therefore represented something of a homecoming for JPI Oceans on this topic.
The story continues, with stronger connections among sea basins and a growing community working together to tackle the UXO-AXO-munition issue. JPI Oceans is ready to continue supporting the cooperations and to contribute research findings and regional perspectives to the EU’s development of a fit-for-purpose strategy.
To follow these developments, you can join the Munitions in the Sea Community on LinkedIn and YouTube and subscribe to our newsletters. You can also explore the links provided in the article for research, resources and information on ongoing activities.