SeaZone, a leader in the field of marine geographic information solutions, and the University of Southampton have teamed up in a collaborative project that aims to improve the management of marine historic environments by merging both reference and archaeological data for marine spatial planning. The ‘AMAP2 – Characterising the Potential for Wrecks” project, commissioned back in October, was setup to study the relationship between surviving shipwrecks and the natural environment.

The goal of the project: the development of a characterisation model that can be applied to areas of maritime archaeological potential (AMAP). Based on the environmental parameters affecting the survival of wrecks, the model should provide a more exact appraisal of the potential of unrecorded wrecks. Following the 2008 AMAP1 pilot project, the AMAP2 project will further the monitoring and management of the marine environment by facilitating the assessment of potential threat to archaeological points of interest.

The project will be undertaken in close collaboration with the University of Southampton and English Heritage. SeaZone is noted for its SeaZone HydroSpatial data product – the first “off the shelf” authoritative digital marine map. SeaZone Solutions Limited is wholly owned by Admiralty Holdings Ltd (AHL), which is owned by the UK Secretary of State for Defence and operated on his behalf by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO).

by: Matt Thompson
TheArchaeologicalBox.com

Photo accredited to SeaZone