The Documentary Podcast Steel from shipwrecks
8 snips
Dec 7, 2025 In this engaging discussion, guests include Giles Richardson, COO at the Maritime Archaeology Sea Trust, who delves into the preservation of wreck artefacts; Kim Brown, a maritime lawyer focused on WWII wrecks and legal frameworks; Atay Mhanders, an underwater archaeologist exploring looting in the Java Sea; and Reginald John Greenham, sharing the emotional toll of losing a sailor on the HMS Repulse. They tackle the alarming rise in shipwreck looting, the value of pre-war steel, and the legal challenges in protecting these crucial underwater sites.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
How Salvaging Destroys Wrecks
- Salvagers use deep-reach cranes, dredging and explosives, leaving only scars and small leftover bits on the seabed.
- Underwater sites escape public notice, making large-scale destruction easier than on land.
Pre-War Steel Has Unique Value
- Shipwrecks contain pre-1945 "low background" steel that is free of nuclear-test fallout and valued for sensitive instruments.
- This rarity makes some wrecks targets despite abundant modern steel production.
Tracking A Salvage Barge To A Looting Site
- Giles traced a giant salvage barge, Changkong 68, using AIS gaps and satellite images to link it to HMS Prince of Wales.
- Malaysian police later raided a scrapyard, seized the barge and detained its crew before they were released.