Complete Maritime Profile & Reviews of Baltic-Lift

Beginning August 9, 2025, an ambitious pilot project aimed at recovering munitions from a submerged World War II barge is set to commence along the picturesque Mecklenburg Baltic coastline off Boltenhagen. Over the course of 30 days, this initiative is expected to extract up to 15 tons of historical ordnance buried approximately 22 meters beneath the surface of the sea. Following retrieval, the munitions will be safely disposed of to ensure environmental protection. The Rostock-based Baltic Taucherei- und Bergungsbetrieb (Baltic Diving and Salvage Company) has been entrusted with this critical operation. Their crane vessel, the ‘Baltic Lift’, is slated to depart from Rostock on August 8, heading towards the Bay of Wismar. Here, around 80-year-old munitions, including grenades and rocket-propelled grenades, have likely become encased under layers of sediment and mud. This operation near Großklützhöved in the Rostock district is part of a broader emergency initiative to remove antiquated munitions from the North and Baltic Seas, backed by a significant investment of 100 million euros in federal funding. The estimated cost for the Boltenhagen salvage operation stands at around five million euros. Historically, the area in the Bay of Wismar saw old ammunition submerged alongside a barge, which now lies upside down on the seabed. The total volume of munitions in the vicinity is estimated to be just under 1,000 tons. This project not only focuses on the physical recovery of these materials but also aims to enhance understanding of underwater ordnance through meticulous salvage practices. With clearance efforts scheduled to operate around the clock, teams will work in two shifts with 24 personnel each, ensuring an efficient recovery process. The converted tanker, ‘Baltic Lift’, is equipped with state-of-the-art submersible elevators that facilitate divers' access to the target depth. Underwater, munitions will be pre-sorted and separately packed into crates for transportation to Wismar, before finally being directed to a federal disposal facility. This operation marks a significant step forward in addressing the challenges posed by legacy munitions in our maritime environment.

In a remarkable salvage operation, the decommissioned German fishing trawler 'Rudolf Virchow-SAS 252' was successfully raised from the depths of Dänholm fishing port on July 15, 2025. This notable vessel, which sank on May 25, 2025, in the Strelasund Strait, is now headed to disassembly at the Volkswerft Shipyard in Stralsund. The retrieval effort was executed by the floating crane 'Baltic Lift,' which relied on skilled divers to secure straps around both the bow and stern of the sunken trawler. The operation involved first righting the vessel and then draining its hull. Contaminated water was meticulously pumped into specialized vehicles on-site for responsible disposal. On the morning of July 16, the 'Rudolf Virchow' was transported under the Ziegelgraben Bridge in Stralsund, suspended by the crane, and arrived at Volkswerft at 7 a.m. UTC. The operation saw the coordination of around ten salvage professionals, including divers, support staff, and two captains. The cause of the vessel's sinking remains unclear, prompting the water police to initiate an investigation against an unidentified individual due to the discharge of operational fluids. The ownership of the 'Rudolf Virchow,' which had been moored at Dänholm for several years prior to its sinking, is still a mystery. Originally constructed in Barth in 1952, the 'Rudolf Virchow' was one of the last remnants of the fishing fleet from the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). For more details and visual reports, click the links: [NDR News](https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/stralsund-gesunkener-fischkutter-rudolf-virchow-gehoben,mvregiogreifswald-368.html), [Tagesschau](https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/regional/mecklenburgvorpommern/daenholm-taucher-bergen-gesunkenen-fischkutter-rudolf-virchow,mvregiogreifswald-362.html), [NDR Video Report](https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/Alter-Hochseekutter-in-Stralsund-gesunken,kutter414.html), [Ostsee-Zeitung Coverage](https://www.ostsee-zeitung.de/lokales/vorpommern-ruegen/stralsund/lag-seit-15-jahren-am-daenholm-stralsunds-letzter-hochseekutter-ist-gesunken-2EDI75UDQBBHDLNZD2QV3OOUMI.html), [Further Ostsee-Zeitung Updates](https://www.ostsee-zeitung.de/lokales/vorpommern-ruegen/stralsund/stralsund-sechs-wochen-nach-dem-sinken-hat-die-bergung-der-rudolf-virchow-begonnen-LMRVYH5QANEODERKOWJC7IJ2UE.html), [Future of Kutter Virchow](https://www.ostsee-zeitung.de/lokales/ungewisse-zukunft-fuer-kutter-virchow-I6IRYPERUUIKQ62FUASOZBVGPU.html).