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EOD & UXO

At Apex, our commercial diving teams specialize in handling Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) projects, ensuring safe and efficient operations in challenging marine settings. These services are critical for industries such as offshore energy, construction, salvage, and environmental remediation, where historical munitions or explosive hazards may lurk beneath the surface. With a focus on precision, safety and compliance. We help clients mitigate risks while advancing their underwater initiatives.

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What Are UXO and EOD in Commercial Diving?

  • Unexploded Ordnance (UXO): Refers to munitions like bombs, mines, or artillery shells that failed to detonate during past conflicts or testing. These can be found in harbours, rivers, seabed's or near offshore installations posing significant threats to human life, infrastructure and the environment.

  • Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD): Involves the systematic identification, assessment and neutralization of explosive hazards. In diving contexts, this means deploying trained divers to locate, evaluate and safely remove or dispose of these items underwater.

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Our UXO/EOD diving projects operate in diverse environments from shallow coastal waters to deep-sea zones, using advanced techniques to minimize disruption.

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Our UXO/EOD Services

We offer comprehensive solutions tailored to your project's needs, including:

  • Site Surveys and Risk Assessments: Pre-dive geophysical surveys using sonar, magnetometers to map potential UXO locations. Our divers conduct both manual and visual inspections utilising location tools such as underwater ferrous & non-ferrous locators and imaging systems to pinpoint and confirm hazards.

  • Detection and Identification: Expert ex military divers equipped with specialized knowledge, able to classify ordnance, ensuring accurate threat evaluation.

  • Safe Removal and Disposal: Coordinated operations to recover or neutralize UXO, in collaboration with certified EOD technician. We adhere to national standards for controlled low order deflagration and safe removal when necessary.

  • Post-Operation Clearance: Thorough verification dives to certify sites ALARP (as low as responsibly possible), providing detailed reports and ALARP certification for regulatory compliance and client assurance.

  • Emergency Response: Rapid deployment for urgent scenarios such as during dredging or pipeline installations where unexpected UXO is encountered.
     

These services support a range of sectors, including renewable energy (e.g. wind farm foundations), port development, underwater archaeology and marine salvage. By integrating UXO/EOD expertise, we prevent costly delays and enhance project safety.
 

Why Choose Us for UXO/EOD Diving?

  • Experienced Teams: Our divers are HSE-certified with specialized EOD training, backed by years of handling high-risk underwater operations worldwide.

  • State-of-the-Art Equipment: We utilize cutting-edge technology, including hyperbaric chambers for deep dives, real-time communication systems and environmentally friendly low order disposal methods utilising marine mammal bubble curtains.

  • Unwavering Safety Commitment: Every project follows strict protocols aligned with IMCA, IMO and local regulations. Risk mitigation is our top priority, with contingency plans for all scenarios.

  • Proven Track Record: We've successfully cleared UXO from major sites, enabling seamless project progression for clients in oil & gas, defence and infrastructure.
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If you're planning an underwater project with potential explosive hazards, contact us today to discuss how our UXO/EOD diving services can protect your operations and deliver peace of mind.

Newtons Cove - Full Project Management Location: Weymouth, Dorset, UK. Purpose: UXO clearance and obstruction relocation to support new pipeline installation. Contractor: Apex Diving & Marine (full project oversight from planning to execution). Site Details: ~5 km² inshore area, water depths <3m, shallowest UXO project on record. Historical Context: WWII-era naval training and munitions testing & disposal. Scope and Scale Survey Phase: Geophysical surveys (magnetometer, multi-beam echo sounder) identified 157 potential UXO (pUXO) anomalies across the site. Divers conducted tactile ground-truthing in <3m depths, focusing on pipeline route safety. Diving Operations: A single dive team operated from a single support vessel, using USBL (Sonardyne Ranger 2) for precise positioning (<0.1m accuracy) despite challenges in ultra-shallow waters where USBL performance is limited. Operations prioritized pipeline corridor clearance. Confirmed UXOs: 3 confirmed UXOs: a small fused cannonball, an anti-aircraft round and one additional training ordnance. Non-UXO obstructions (e.g., boulders, debris) were also relocated. Obstructions: Relocation of non-hazardous debris to clear pipeline path. Techniques and Methods Investigation: Divers, supported by ex-military EOD technicians, used a "no-touch" protocol with USBL-guided hand-held fluxgate magnetometers for target pinpointing in silty, low-visibility sea beds. Disposal/Relocation: Relocation: Primary method; all 3 UXOs were excavated using airlifts or manual tools and secured in stillages for transport to an onshore disposal site, avoiding in-water risks. On-Site Neutralization: For unstable items, low-order techniques (e.g. shaped water-jet disruption) were risk assessed but not required to minimize environmental impact, avoiding full detonations in the restricted inshore zone. Debris Clearance: Divers relocated non-hazardous obstructions (e.g. boulders, concrete debris) to ensure a clear pipeline route. USBL Challenges: Operating USBL in <3m depths was extremely difficult due to signal multipath and limited acoustic range. Apex adapted by calibrating USBL for ultra-shallow use, achieving reliable tracking through custom setups and real-time diver feedback. Safety and Environmental Measures Diver Safety: USBL integration minimized disorientation in tidal flows, with low-magnetic gear. Vessel beaching risks were mitigated through precise tidal timing and minimal on-site assets (one vessel). Environmental Protection: Soft-start acoustic deterrents protected local marine species (e.g. fish, crustaceans). Operations complied with UK Marine Management Organisation (MMO) regulations, with post-operation benthic surveys confirming negligible impact on intertidal ecosystems. Coordination: Apex led collaboration with local Royal Navy EOD units and environmental regulators using a remote survey team to minimize on-site personnel, adhering to ALARP risk principles in a public-access area. Operational Challenges​ Low Water Depths: Ultra-shallow <3m depths increased risks of vessel beaching and limited USBL effectiveness, addressed through specialized calibration and experienced RNLI vessel captain. Low Visibility: Silty sea beds reduced visibility, necessitating tactile searches and USBL reliance. Outcomes Successful Clearance: All 3 UXOs and obstructions cleared without safety incidents, enabling pipeline installation on schedule in 2022. Efficiency: Use of a single vessel and remote survey team reduced taskforce footprint, completing the project 15% under budget. Environmental Compliance: Met MMO standards, with no reported ecological impacts and enhanced pipeline route safety. Industry Impact: Set a precedent for ultra-shallow UXO operations, demonstrating USBL viability in

IFA 2 (Interconnexion France-Angleterre 2)  A high-voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea electricity interconnector linking the UK and France. It spans approximately 204-240 km from Chilling near Fareham in Hampshire, UK to Tourbe in Normandy, France. The project enhances energy security, supports renewable integration and facilitates cross-border electricity trading. Construction began around 2017-2018, it became operational in January 2021. ​ Key details on the UXO/EOD efforts include: Survey and Investigation Phase: Approximately 1,000 potential UXO targets were identified and investigated along the cable route during the construction phase (primarily 2019-2020). Of these, 76 were confirmed as UXOs, including WWII-era sea mines, depth charges and high-explosive munitions. Initial Clearance by Navies: The French and British Navies handled initial detonations, reducing the number of remaining targets to 37. Contracted Disposal Operations: The remaining UXOs were addressed through a competitive tender process for efficiency. Contractors like James Fisher Renewables supported by Apex Diving & Marine (in 2019) and PG Renewables (in 2020) were involved in identification, relocation and disposal. Methods included: Relocation: Using stillages (specialized containers) for safe transport where possible, to avoid on-site risks. On-Site Detonation: For items unsuitable for relocation, controlled detonations were performed. Low-Yield/Low-Order Techniques: Advanced methods like the HYDRA Hyper High Pressure Water Jet Disintegration Technique were employed to disrupt and disintegrate UXOs without full combustion, minimizing environmental impact. This involved shaped charges (e.g. 750g NEQ per charge, up to 3kg total for larger items) targeting vulnerable components. Examples from IFA2 include disposal of British and German WWII sea mines (~250kg NEQ), UK depth charges (164kg NEQ) and HE bombs (300kg NEQ). Outcomes and Risk Mitigation: The projects successfully cleared the route, reducing risks to personnel, infrastructure and the environment. No major incidents were reported and the clearances enabled timely cable laying. Coordination with stakeholders, including Navies and environmental regulators, ensured compliance with safety and ecological standards.

EA1 (East Anglia One) East Anglia One is a 714 MW offshore wind farm located 45 km off Lowestoft in the Southern North Sea, UK, developed by Scottish Power Renewables. It covers a 300 km² array area with 102 turbines and a 73 km export cable to Bawdsey, Suffolk. During its construction phase (2017-2019), unexploded ordnance (UXO) surveys and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) were critical due to the region’s WWII-era munitions, including sea mines, bombs and depth charges from historical naval activity and dumping in the North Sea. UXO/EOD Diving Operations (2017-2018): The UXO clearance campaign for East Anglia One commenced December 2017, diving operations were integral for investigating and clearing UXO along the wind farm’s array area and export cable route, ensuring safe turbine installation and cable laying. The campaign addressed the high density of potential UXO (pUXO) targets in the Southern North Sea, a legacy of WWII. Key Details of Diving Work: Scope and Scale: Survey Phase: Geophysical surveys (magnetometer, side-scan sonar) identified hundreds of pUXO anomalies across the 300 km² site and 73 km cable route. Divers were deployed to verify targets flagged as potential WWII ordnance (e.g. sea mines, high-explosive munitions). Diving Operations: Teams used a combination of dive support vessels (DSVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for initial inspections, with divers handling tactile and close-proximity tasks in shallow waters (typically

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