MoD wrecks

MAST, in partnership with Bournemouth University, won a Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract to assess the environmental and safety risks posed by the tankers RFA Creosol (1916), RFA War Mehtar (1919) and the escort carrier HMS Dasher (1942). This assessment includes research into the history of the wreck and its cargo/contents.

The ships fall into two broad groups, purpose-built tankers and an escort aircraft carrier converted from a merchant ship. The first two are relatively simple vessels and the third a much more complex vessel that is likely to be complicated by its conversion and change of use and reuse.

The MoD has a worldwide inventory of circa 1500 wrecked warships, submarines and auxiliaries mainly dating from World War I and II and is seeking a greater understanding of the circumstances in which these vessels were lost and their current condition in order to determine the risk they pose.