The Menorca Shipwreck Project
Project Overview:
The Menorca Shipwreck Project (MSP) is a multi-year underwater archaeology initiative based in Cala en Busquets, a well-preserved ancient harbor in Ciutadella, Menorca. Launched in 2023, it brings together Explorers Club members, local archaeologists, and heritage professionals to explore centuries of maritime history. A key feature is the MSP Field School, offering annual hands-on training in underwater excavation, artifact handling, photogrammetry, scuba diving, and Mediterranean maritime history.
This groundbreaking initiative offers SeaKeepers’ vessels two opportunities to get involved. Option one is as a platform for hosting the scientists and gear in the harbor, with possibility for diving the wreck with the research team. Vessels unable to offer overnight support can host students and researchers from the field school on an education cruise around the Western side of Menorca to learn about other shipwrecks in the area and discover how these vessels may have ended up in the harbors. This second option is a unique way to help uncover the history of some of the oldest shipwrecks ever excavated.
Program Partners
- Explorers Club
- Ocean Foundation
- Club Nautic
- Can Saura Museum
- Philip Stephenson Foundation
Location
- Ciutadella, Menorca
Expected Time Frame
- September 15-October 27th, 2025
Duration of Expedition
- 30 Days
Accommodation Needed
- 4 Researchers
Special Equipment Needed
- Swim platform (hydraulic or stationary) or easy access to water; access to tender or smaller vessel; compressor (for scuba diving)
Expedition parameters listed above are flexible and negotiable.
Background:
Cala en Busquets is exceptional for its intact archaeological finds, offering continuous harbor use from the Roman era to today. Unlike many Mediterranean ports lost to modern development, it preserves a rare, stratified maritime record.
In 2024, three wrecks (Busquets 1, 2, and 3) were partially excavated, revealing distinct shipbuilding features. 13th-century Islamic ceramics and carbon dating suggest a shared cultural and historical context. These wrecks are potentially the first of their kind scientifically excavated in the Western Mediterranean.
The Explorers Club, in partnership with Can Saura Museum and other scientific foundations, aims to uncover the history of these vessels through various techniques.
Mission:
Objectives include:
• Excavating and recording the shipwrecks
• Establishing chronology and cultural ties through ceramic, radiocarbon, and wood analysis
• Investigating whether a single event caused multiple wrecks
• Publishing findings to advance maritime archaeology
• Supporting student research, including Aymar Maluenda’s PhD on shipbuilding and archaeobotany
• Expanding 2025 excavations to study the keel and keelson of Busquets 1 and the spatial relationships between the wrecks.
Applications:
The Menorca Shipwreck Project is uncovering rare data on 13th-century shipbuilding, trade, and harbor use in the Western Mediterranean. Stratified ceramics, wood, and radiocarbon samples help reconstruct vessel construction, cultural exchange, and the role of environmental events in maritime history.
These findings contribute to global archaeological research and will be shared through AUB conferences, youth programs with Club NÃ utic Ciutadella, U.S. school presentations, and a featured Explorers Cubs event at the Explorers Club HQ in New York, bringing underwater heritage to the next generation.
Get Involved
If you’re interested in learning more about this specific program opportunity, please reach out to our team below to find out more about this program or get involved in other opportunities with SeaKeepers.
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