Historic wrecks are attractive to maritime archaeologists because they preserve historical information: for example, studying the wreck of Mary Rose revealed information about seafaring, warfare, and life in the 16th century. … 展开

Many modern shipwrecks contribute to marine pollution, mainly as sources of significant oil spills. A 2005 survey of shipwrecks since 1890 found that over 8,500 of the submerged … 展开

A shipwreck may have value in several forms:
• Cultural heritage,
• Recreational diving and other tourism attraction
• scientific, educational and monetary values 展开

Poor design, improperly stowed cargo, navigation and other human errors leading to collisions (with another ship, the shoreline, an iceberg, … 展开

Many factors determine the state of preservation of a wreck:
• the ship's construction materials
• the wreck … 展开

Iron and steel wrecks are subject to corrosion, which is most rapid in shallow sea water where the salinity induces galvanic corrosion, oxygen content is high and water movement replenishes the oxygen rapidly. In deeper water and in still water the corrosion rates … 展开

Often, attempts are made to salvage shipwrecks, particularly those recently wrecked, to recover the whole or part of the ship, its cargo, or its equipment. An example was the salvage … 展开