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A new chapter in Moroccan heritage is surfacing from the depths.
The National Center for Studies and Research in Underwater Cultural Heritage has announced the discovery of 20 historic shipwrecks resting beneath the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Long believed to be lost, these vessels now stand as evidence of Morocco’s overlooked maritime history.
The ships were located in several coastal regions, including El Jadida and parts of northern Morocco.
According to Azeddine Kara, director of the Center, they served a range of purposes. Some were warships, others merchant vessels, and most date back to the 19th and 20th centuries.
While some sank when navigating major sea routes, others were lost while anchored near Moroccan ports.
“These discoveries help us reconnect with a part of our history that remained hidden under the water for generations,” Kara explained to SNRTNews. “They reflect the diversity of maritime activity that shaped our coastline across time.”
The announcement places new focus on underwater cultural heritage, which includes not only shipwrecks but also submerged human and animal remains, artifacts, and historical structures that have remained beneath national waters.
Such heritage bears cultural, historical, and archaeological significance and contributes to a broader understanding of Morocco’s role in maritime exchanges.
This wave of discoveries comes at a moment of legislative change. A new national law on heritage protection has been approved. For the first time, the legal framework dedicates specific measures to the protection of submerged heritage.
The government’s approach also recognizes the importance of Morocco’s geography. With vast coastlines along the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, the country has long occupied a strategic position at the intersection of civilizations and trade routes.
Its waters have seen the passage of empires, navies, merchants, and explorers. Now, remnants of that past are being brought to light.
To lead this effort, the Ministry of Youth created the National Center for Studies and Research in Underwater Cultural Heritage.
The center conducts research, carries out excavations, and develops plans to share future findings with the public.
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