This dataset depicts two areas in the Baltic Sea that have been assigned for the emergency disposal of netted warfare materials too unsafe to be brought and handled ashore. Two relocation areas have been assigned by the Bornholm-located Danish Navy Maritime Surveillance Centre South in the vicinity of the Bornholm dumpsite for the emergency disposal of netted warfare materials too unsafe to be brought and handled ashore. The two areas with a diameter of 0.5 nautical miles and an area of about 270 ha each are located at 55°4.7’N, 15°14.2’E and 55°2.4’N, 14°37.9’E (WGS84). For more information, see: HELCOM 2013. Chemical Munitions Dumped in the Baltic Sea. Report of the ad hoc Expert Group to Update and Review the Existing Information on Dumped Chemical Munitions in the Baltic Sea (HELCOM MUNI) http://www.helcom.fi/Documents/Ministerial2013/Associated%20documents/Background/Dumped%20chemical%20munitions%20in%20the%20Baltic%20Sea.pdf

Areas that were formerly chosed and designated for dumping munitions at sea. The dataset was made based on information compiled by the HELCOM ad hoc Expert Group to Update and Review the Existing Information on Dumped Chemical Munitions in the Baltic Sea (HELCOM MUNI). The areas displayed indicate areas formerly chosen and designated for dumping munitions at sea, e.g, by instructing the ships' captains to dump in sight of a landmark or moored buoy. In addition the dataset contains information about a suspected dumpsite in the Gdansk deep. It should also be noted that dumping of munitions was also occasionally conducted outside of the known and designated dumping areas. The use of these terms is not necessarily reflected in the descriptions contained in sea charts. While the area south of Little Belt was used as a dumping area, for example, in contemporary sea charts it is only described as ‘foul (explosives)’ and not as ‘explosives dumping ground'. For more information, see the HELCOM MUNI report Chemical Munitions dumped in the Baltic Sea (HELCOM 2013). The dataset was updated in June 2023 with the dataset provided by Gunnar Möller (Mine Warfare Data Center (C MWDC), 4th Naval Warfare Flottilla, Berga, Sweden) containing dumping areas. This dataset was created and approved for publication by EG Submerged. The data from German territorial waters and EEZ were withheld from the updated dataset.

This dataset gives an overview of the main areas in the Baltic Sea where sea dumped chemical warfare materials have been reported to be found. This dataset gives an overview of the main areas in the Baltic Sea where sea dumped chemical warfare materials have been found. The areas are drawn based on reported encounters where fishermenhave netted chemical warfare materials. For more information, see the HELCOM 2013 MUNI report on dumped chemical munitions in the Baltic Sea: http://www.helcom.fi/Documents/Ministerial2013/Associated%20documents/Background/Dumped%20chemical%20munitions%20in%20the%20Baltic%20Sea.pdf

Areas where en-route dumping of chemical munitions is suspected to have occured while they were being transported to the designated dumpsite south of Little Belt. The southern entrance to the Little Belt is an area that was used by German troops and refugees for munitions disposal during the last days of WWII. This dataset illustrates that areas where, according to historical accounts, en-route dumping of chemical munitions is likely to have taken place on the way to the official designated dumping area. For more information, see the HELCOM MUNI report (2013): Chemical Munitions dumped in the Baltic Sea. http://www.helcom.fi/Documents/Ministerial2013/Associated%20documents/Background/Dumped%20chemical%20munitions%20in%20the%20Baltic%20Sea.pdf

Designated and suspected alternative routes along which chemical munitions were transported to the designated dumping areas in the Baltic Sea after World War II. This dataset illustrates the designated and suspected alternative routes along which chemical munitions were transported to the designated dumping areas in the Baltic Sea after World War II. For more information, see the HELCOM MUNI report (2013): Chemical Munitions dumped in the Baltic Sea. http://www.helcom.fi/Documents/Ministerial2013/Associated%20documents/Background/Dumped%20chemical%20munitions%20in%20the%20Baltic%20Sea.pdf