The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism project, has partnered with the Ministry of Culture to unite efforts in the fields of archaeology, heritage, history and sustainable tourism.
The coastal waters of the Red Sea contain significant points of historical interest and the partnership facilitates an expedition led by The University of Napoli L’Orientale to deliver the Kingdom’s first underwater excavation.
The shipwreck occurred sometime between 1725-1750 and is located in Al Wajh lagoon. Submersed in 20-22 meters of water, the hull remains in the seabed along with a mound of 1,000+ visible jugs which have calcified into a single group. It is approximately 40 meters in length and 10 meters wide with an intact cargo of potentially 1,000 tons. All artefacts will be preserved, catalogued, and stored in the Red Sea Museum in Jeddah, while some pieces will be displayed for visitors of The Red Sea Project.
Through the partnership with the Museums Heritage, a program will be launched to design and build the first maritime museum, representing the first facility to properly conserve and display underwater archaeology in the Kingdom. This world class facility will allow future wrecks found by the broader marine archaeology survey to be excavated and preserved.
