Finland sees Russians' timetable for raising wreck of Vrouw Maria as unrealistic

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Finland considers unrealistic a Russian group's desired timetable for the salvaging of the wreck of the sunken Vrouw Maria.
      The Russians, who have shown interest in raising the wreck from the bottom of the Baltic Sea, suggested in a Tuesday meeting in Moscow that the Dutch vessel could be salvaged either next year or in 2010.
      Senior Inspector Päivi Salonen of the Ministry of Education reckons it is not possible to raise the wreck in the next couple of years.
      "A lot of groundwork needs to be done, both scientific and related to the conditions. This does not happen overnight", Salonen says.
      The legendary "treasure ship" Vrouw Maria sank in the outer archipelago of the municipality of Nauvo, Finland, on October 9th, 1771. The wreck lies at a depth of 40 metres.
      In the cargo holds of the Dutch two-masted merchant ship there are believed to be works of art that the Russian Empress Catherine the Great had bought at auction in Amsterdam. As yet, the condition of the cargo remains unknown.
     
The wreck was found in 1999, but its fate is still unclear. The right of decision lies with Finland, because the Vrouw Maria rests in its territorial waters.
      Finland's National Board of Antiquities is about to commence a five-year project, during which final decisions will be made. The cost of the raising, restoration, and displaying of the vessel and its presumed cargo has been estimated at EUR 40-100 million. Also, the brittle vessel's chances of remaining intact on land are anybody's guess.
      "The Russians are first and foremost interested in the precious cargo. Marine archaeologists, in turn, see the vessel as an interesting entity with an interesting story of maritime history to tell", Salonen explains.
     
Russian millionaire Artem Tarasov, who heads the Russian Rescue of National Cultural and Historic Valuables Fund, promised in Moscow that he would be able to rustle up EUR 50 million for the rescue operation.
      In the official talks no sums have been mentioned yet, but Salonen regards cooperation with the Russians as a possible way forward.
      "We would have nothing against a joint operation, should one take place", Salonen reckons.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Divers win round in legal battle over Vrouw Maria salvage rights (20.9.2002)
  Maritime Museum gets EUR 700,000 to study wreck of Vrouw Maria (11.1.2002)

Links:
  National Board of Antiquities: Vrouw Maria
  Vrouw Maria (Wikipedia)
  Daily Telegraph article on the subject of raising the Vrouw Maria (takes a rather one-sided view of the matter)

Helsingin Sanomat