A Proposed Annex to the Wreck Removal Convention Treaty to Address Environmental Hazards of Sunken World War II Naval Vessels

Date of Award

5-15-2007

Document Type

Undergraduate Capstone Project

Degree Name

Master of Environmental Policy And Management

Organizational Unit

University College, Environmental Policy and Management

Disciplines

Environmental Policy And Management

First Advisor

William Robinson

Keywords

World War, 1939-1945, Naval operations, Environmental, Hazardous materials, Marine pollution, Naval wrecks, Navigation hazard, Oil spill, Warships, 20th century, Law and legislation, World War II, Wreck removal convention

Abstract

The devastation of World War II continues today. Over 9,000 vessels were sunk in all of the world's oceans, creating many potential threats. Hazards include oil spills, chemical releases, unexploded ordnance, coral-reef degradation, and hazards to navigation. World War II wrecks are still considered sovereign property as well as war graves. At present, there is not an international treaty to manage the potential threats from these wrecks. A new treaty, the Wreck Removal Convention, will be signed by all maritime nations in May 2007; however, this treaty does not address World War II wrecks. This Capstone provides an Annex to the Wreck Removal Convention specifically for sovereign naval wrecks, most of which are from World War II.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. Permanently suppressed.

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