Ireland Forms Its First Artificial Reef By Sinking Seized Smuggling Ship

The 60-meter MV Shingle, a former smuggling vessel, has been sunken off the coast of County Mayo, Ireland, forming the country’s first artificial reef.

The ship, which was seized by officials in 2014 with 32 million illegal cigarettes and over four tonnes of tobacco on board, is now 29 meters below the surface in Killala Bay.

The sinking occurred in the afternoon on September 18, 2024, and will likely benefit local tourism and marine biodiversity.

The initiative was part of a collaboration between Killala Bay Ships 2 Reef (KBS2R), the Revenue Commissioners, and local councils in Mayo and Sligo to transform the MV Shingle into an underwater oasis.

The vessel, now a diving wreck, is expected to attract divers and marine researchers to Ireland’s west coast while benefiting the surrounding ecosystem.

The ship’s journey from a smuggling vessel to an artificial reef was long. In 2014, armed police and customs officers seized it in the port of Drogheda as part of a European security operation.

The ship, which had sailed from Moldova via Slovenia and Portugal, had been abandoned at Dublin port for nearly a decade due to its asbestos-tainted condition. Authorities could not find a buyer or afford the high costs of scrapping it.

Video Credits: The Journal/YouTube

Revenue officials donated the ship to the project after paying around €2 million for berthing and maintenance fees.

KBS2R successfully proposed using it as a marine reef, stating that it would enhance biodiversity and increase tourism in the area.

The sinking was gradual, beginning around 3 p.m. when valves were opened to let seawater into the vessel. After nearly two hours, the ship slowly started listing to its starboard side before sinking beneath the surface, leaving calm waters behind.

Local officials who led the project are confident about the artificial reef’s long-term benefits. They estimated that the money invested in the project would be recouped within three years due to increased diving and fishing tourism and future research opportunities.

However, not all parties fully support the initiative. Environmental organizations have raised concerns about its impact on local ecosystems. But local authorities hope that the ship’s final resting place will transform the area into a bustling hub for marine life.

Years of effort to remove the rust from the vessel and give it a new purpose ended with the sinking of the MV Shingle.

Reference: The Guardian, The Journal