Norderney: Shipwreck dating back over 300 years discovered

Construction workers have discovered the remains of a historic shipwreck on the beach at Norderney whilst laying submarine cables for an offshore project. According to initial assessments by experts from the Ostfriesische Landschaft, the Dutch wooden ship dates from the 17th or 18th century and is therefore around 300 years old, as reported by various media outlets on Thursday. The network operator Amprion, which is managing the construction site, temporarily suspended work at the site of the discovery. Archaeologists estimate that the ship was around 15 metres long and five metres wide. The wreck was built almost entirely of wood, which is characteristic of ships from this period.

Recovery and scientific documentation

The specialist team from the Ostfriesische Landschaft has already taken samples from the wreckage to determine its exact age. The visible parts of the wreck were recovered and removed on Thursday afternoon. They are now to be thoroughly documented archaeologically, as the experts explain. The rest of the ship, which is still buried in the seabed, is to remain in situ. The decision to recover only the fragments that had already been exposed was taken in consultation with the archaeologists. The examination of the recovered parts could provide new insights into shipbuilding and seafaring during that era. The protection of the find is a priority. However, the cable-laying schedule is not at risk as a result of this interruption.

See also:

• ​16th-century Swedish shipwreck discovered in the Kalmar Sound
• ​Wreck of the world’s largest cog discovered
• ​Wreck of the ‘Lady Jay’ discovered after 14 years
• ​Fascinating images of wrecks in a ghost harbour

Submarine cable laying for offshore wind farms

Construction work on the offshore connection at Norderney began in early July. The transmission system operator Amprion is currently laying subsea cables on the island for offshore wind farms in the North Sea. The project is part of the energy transition and is intended to ensure that offshore wind turbines are connected to the mainland grid. The cables are being laid in several conduits that emerge on the beach at Norderney.

Such finds are not an everyday occurrence in coastal construction projects, but they are not entirely unusual either. The North Sea and its coastal regions are home to numerous historic shipwrecks that have sunk over the centuries as a result of storms, accidents or acts of war.

The historical context of North Sea shipping

For the entire North Frisian Wadden Sea region, there are just under 900 reports of shipwrecks covering the period from the 17th century to the early 20th century. Shipwrecks were so frequent that the salvage of wrecks and the rescue of shipwrecked sailors developed into a sector of the economy in its own right. The treacherous waters of the North Sea regularly took their toll on ships that found themselves in distress due to storms, fog or navigational errors. Many of these wrecks still lie beneath the coastal sand today and are only occasionally uncovered by erosion or construction work.