OUR PROJECTS
USA
ProMare’s impactful work in the USA spans diverse maritime endeavors. We have explored shipwrecks like the Western Empire and Mica in the Gulf of Mexico, unraveling historical mysteries, contributing to geophysical studies and investigating the Georgia Gold Rush era. ProMare also joined search efforts following the Shuttle Columbia tragedy. Click here for detailed information about these projects.
NORWAY
ProMare has spearheaded maritime archaeology projects in Norway for more than 25 years. Our efforts have unearthed relics of Viking ships and other vessels, shedding light on Norway’s rich maritime heritage. Through rigorous exploration, ProMare preserves and shares Norway’s seafaring history. Click here for detailed information about these projects.
UK
Since 2008, ProMare and its sister organization, ProMare UK CIC, have collaborated on maritime exploration projects. We have conducted, sponsored, and funded research and development projects in areas such as advanced technology development for marine sciences, projects related to enriching understanding of Britain’s maritime heritage, and contributing to environmental conservation efforts around the British Isles. Click here for detailed information about these projects.
greenland
Greenland’s Norse civilization, founded by Erik the Red, thrived but vanished mysteriously in the 15th century. Despite several thousand inhabitants, their fate remains unknown. An international research team aims to unravel this saga’s enigma, shedding light on one of history’s greatest mysteries. Click here to see the film.
TURKEY
Turkey holds immense archaeological significance due to its strategic location at the crossroads of ancient civilizations. ProMare partnered with Dokuz Eylül University’s Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology (supported by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture) comprising archaeologists, conservators, historians, geophysicists, and marine biologists.
ITALY
In 2008, ProMare initiated a project in Italy, collaborating with the Italian Ministry of Culture and Artistic Heritage. Over the next years, we conducted archaeological fieldwork, surveys, and research across Latium, Tuscany, and Calabria. Click here to access a list of all our projects in Italy, and detailed information, publications, and resources.
GREECE
The Greek-Norwegian Deepwater Archaeological Survey, conducted collaboratively by EEA, NTNU, NIA, and ProMare, aimed to test affordable remote sensing techniques for identifying marine cultural artifacts below 50 meters. The project successfully discovered several previously unknown shipwrecks during its research efforts. Click here for details.
PORTUGAL
In 2002, ProMare embarked on pioneering maritime exploration projects in Cascais and Ericeira, Portugal. Their endeavors unearthed ancient shipwrecks and maritime artifacts, illuminating Portugal’s seafaring history. Through meticulous research and preservation efforts, ProMare continues to deepen our understanding of the rich maritime heritage in these coastal regions. Click here for detailed information about these projects.
CHALLENGER 150, OCEANOGRAPHY THEN AND NOW
MALTA
In July 2001, ProMare, in collaboration with INA and the Malta National Museum of Archaeology, conducted an ROV survey in Malta. Previous shallow-water investigations yielded no shipwrecks, prompting a deep-water survey. The survey discovered a scatter of hundreds of 3rd-century BC amphoras outside Xlendi harbor on Gozo, shedding light on ancient trade routes.
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Canada
ProMare’s work in Canada focused on the Yukon River, home to the world’s largest known collection of intact 19th-century sternwheelers. Our team conducted diving surveys as well as documentation of scuttled vessels, such as the unique West Dawson site, studying seven large sternwheelers. Our work extends to vessels like the Seattle No. 3, and A.J. Goddard and delves into steamboats’ role in the Klondike Gold Rush and unique design characteristics of these vessels.
Tanzania
Lake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is the world’s second-largest freshwater lake by volume and the second deepest, in both cases after Lake Baikal. In 2025 ProMare in cooperation with TAFIRI (Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology explored the lake to more than 1200 meters depth.
Puerto Rico
ProMare deployed a robotic vehicle to explore the deepest sections of the Atlantic Ocean, showcasing the feasibility of low-cost deep-sea exploration. The expedition yielded video footage and recovered marine life, including specimens from the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean, located north of Puerto Rico.
mexico
In 2004, ProMare collaborated with archaeologist Guillermo de Anda to explore Maya cenotes in Mexico, sacred to ancient rituals. Working near Chichen Itza, they ventured into unexplored sinkholes using advanced equipment and techniques. ProMare’s ongoing support aided in uncovering crucial insights into Mayan culture, chronicled in Archaeology Magazine.
argentina
During WWII, Argentina experienced numerous U-boat sightings. Following the surrender of U-530 and U-977, sightings persisted along the coast. Argentinian newspaper Ambito Financiero dispatched reporters to investigate, resulting in intriguing observations in Caleta de los Loros. ProMare was contacted to search for these submarines, in cooperation with the BBC. Using a magnetometer, side scan sonar and ROV, the area where the “promising targets” was surveyed, but yielded no evidence of U-Boat remains.
japan
In April 2004, off Nagasaki’s coast, ProMare and Discovery Channel filmmakers discovered 24 World War II Japanese submarines, including the infamous I-58, responsible for sinking the USS Indianapolis. This marked Japan’s largest underwater collection of WWII subs. The expedition, documented in “Sen Toku: The Search for Japan’s Secret Subs,” showcased advanced marine exploration technology.