On 2 July 2025, Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider visited the Ocean Technology Campus in Rostock at the invitation of the state government of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. He was accompanied by Minister President Manuela Schwesig and Environment Minister Till Backhaus. The aim of the visit was to present Rostock as a possible location for a future federal centre of excellence for munitions recovery in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. After introductory remarks by the Minister-President and the Federal Minister, the two Rostock project partners from the CONMAR consortium had the opportunity to present their current research work: the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW), represented by Oliver Zielinski, and the University of Rostock, represented by Sascha Kosleck and Ansgar Leefken. In the ensuing discussion, key research findings were explored in greater depth and questions regarding practical implementation were discussed. The great interest and in-depth knowledge of the political visitors regarding the issue of munitions contamination underscore the increasing relevance of the topic at the federal political level. The removal of munitions contamination in the North Sea and Baltic Sea is enshrined in the German government's coalition agreement as a national task – a strong signal for concrete action.
Ansgar Leefken, Universität Rostock
