One of Australia’s most famous shipwrecks is providing fresh knowledge of the origins of global supply chains nearly four centuries ago.

New research analysing ballast and building stone recovered from the wreck of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) ship Batavia has revealed that the vessel carried stone sourced from several different European quarries. The evidence suggests that Dutch shipbuilders were drawing materials from a wide geographical area, showing a sophisticated international procurement network long before the Industrial Revolution.

One of Britain’s most celebrated historic wreck dives has been given a new lease of life ahead of the 2026 diving season. Historic England, working with volunteer divers from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Maritime Archaeology Society (CISMAS), has refurbished the underwater dive trail on the Protected Wreck Site of HMS Colossus, making the site easier to explore both underwater and online.

For more than 30 years, one of Britain’s most enigmatic shipwrecks has challenged maritime archaeologists. Since its discovery off Salcombe, Devon, in 1995, the site has yielded more than 400 Moroccan gold coins, jewellery, ceramics, pewter objects and other artefacts, but the identity of the vessel remained uncertain.

The US Navy has confirmed the identity of a World War II submarine wreck discovered off the coast of Matsuwa Island in the Kuril Islands, bringing closure to a mystery that has endured for more than eight decades.

The wreck has been identified as USS Herring (SS-233), a Gato-class submarine lost on 1 June 1944 during combat operations against Japanese forces in the northern Pacific. All 83 crew members aboard were lost.

Italian archaeologists have begun detailed study and recovery operations on a 5th to 4th-century BC shipwreck discovered off the coast of Calabria, southern Italy. The site contains a cargo of more than 300 amphorae and could yield new insights into ancient trade routes linking the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia with the wider Mediterranean world.

The proposed sinking of the SS United States has generated significant debate, with campaigners asserting that the ship constitutes a unique element of maritime heritage that warrants preservation.

The vessel, formerly the fastest transatlantic liner ever constructed, has been the focus of redevelopment initiatives for several years. Recently, proposals have surfaced to deliberately sink the ship to establish an artificial reef and diving attraction.

The remains of the USCG Cutter Tampa have been located off the coast of Cornwall, more than a century after the vessel was sunk during World War I.

The cutter was lost in September 1918 after being torpedoed by a German U-boat while escorting a convoy in the Bristol Channel. All 131 crew members on board were killed, making it the deadliest loss in US Coast Guard history.

The discovery was made in autumn 2025 by the Swedish Navy vessel HMS Belos during an exercise, and has now emerged as one of the most interesting marine archaeological finds in Sweden in recent years.

Dated to the late 16th century

Following initial analyses, researchers have established that the wreck was probably built in the late 16th century. The findings are based on dendrochronological analyses of wood samples, a method that facilitates high-precision dating of timber.

Archaeologists uncovered the remains of six historic shipwrecks in Varberg, Sweden, during investigations associated with the construction of a railway tunnel. These vessels, dating from the Middle Ages to the 17th century, were located along the town’s original shoreline and harbour area, providing new insights into centuries of maritime activity.

The discovery of a 2,000-year-old shipwreck in the depths of Lake Neuchâtel offers new perspectives on inland water transport during the Roman period. The vessel, located in deep freshwater, has remained largely intact, keeping both cargo and structural elements.

Recovered artefacts include wooden components, metal fittings, and items potentially related to transport or ceremonial functions, such as parts associated with a Roman chariot. The preservation of these materials is rare and provides important evidence of regional craftsmanship and supply practices.