Çanakkale’s historic shipwrecks to become protected diving sanctuary

ÇANAKKALE

A landmark cooperation agreement is transforming Türkiye’s 1915 naval battleground warships in the northwestern province of Çanakkale’s Dardanelles from silent relics into a sustainable underwater museum, opening these legendary wrecks to divers while ensuring their permanent protection.

The Gelibolu historic site administration and a motorway management firm, 1915 Çanakkale Bridge and Motorway Inc., signed the agreement to safeguard the site’s iconic underwater heritage and regulate recreational diving in the strait.

These wrecks serve as a maritime archive of the 1915 Gallipoli campaign between the Ottoman and Allied forces, a pivotal World War I confrontation where dozens of warships were sent to the depths during the struggle for control of the strategic waterway.

Germany’s Boot Düsseldorf, the world’s leading maritime fair, hosted the global unveiling of the “Deep Heritage” project.

This major presentation featured a showcase by renowned Swedish underwater photographer Alex Dawson, followed by a promotional video and speeches by Turkish officials.

İsmail Kaşdemir, the head of the Gelibolu historic site, said the shipwrecks resting on the seabed of the Dardanelles are not only part of Türkiye’s national heritage but also a shared legacy of human history.

The Gelibolu historic site administration has already opened 27 shipwrecks and two artificial reefs at 29 separate dive sites in the Dardanelles.

Now, the long-term goal is to position the site’s historic underwater park as one of the world’s leading destinations for diving tourism with the new project.

A key component of the project is the use of cathodic protection technology to prevent further corrosion of the shipwrecks.

This electrochemical method slows deterioration without applying paint or other physical coatings.

Beyond preservation, this method prevents the leaching of heavy metals into the sea, eventually turning the protected wrecks into artificial reefs that foster new marine habitats and boost biodiversity.