Deep Blue Marine signs contract with Dominican Republic

posted on: Jul 29 2010 11:41 by The Reporter. Viewed 872 times.


Deep Blue Marine, Inc., announced today that the company has entered into a second major contract in the Dominican Republic. Under the direction of the Government of the Dominican Republic, and working under the supervision of the Marina de Guerra Dominicana and an inspector from the Oficina Nacional de Patrimonio Cultura Subcuatico, Deep Blue Marine, Inc. has signed an agreement to provide services in the area of survey and recovery of artifacts for an undisclosed permitted area on the North Shore of the Dominican Republic. The company-owned dive and recovery vessels will be on site within days to begin work.

Deep Blue Marine, Inc. has been in the recovery business for several years and has recovered airplanes, modern sunken vessels, industrial equipment and historical shipwrecks. The company houses many of its artifacts in a company owned museum located in Samana, Dominican Republic and plans to open similar venues in that country in the near future.

Wilf Blum, President and CEO, stated, "We are very excited about this new contract, as this area of the Dominican Republic is in the heart of the major shipping lanes of the new world. From the time Columbus discovered this country in 1492 until present day, ships have traversed this area. The historical impact of shipping in this area cannot be overestimated. We have charted many significant wreck sites and have determined this is indeed a very important historical area. Over the centuries, ships have washed up on the reefs and shores of this stretch of land as hurricanes, storms and poor navigation took their toll. The company is pleased to be given this incredible opportunity to recover history and preserve history for future generations. Deep Blue wishes to publicly thank and commend Captain Billy Rawson and archaeologist Alejandro Selmi, plus the crews of both the 'Lady Laura' and the 'Cap'n Tracy,' for all the work they have performed in securing this incredible opportunity for our company.

"As a company, we look at this area as perhaps one of the most important areas ever to be explored as there were several significant vessels of record that washed up on the north shore during hurricanes. Adding this part of the country to the recently announced area in Punta Cana, which contract exists under the auspices and existing contract that Fundacion Puntacana has with the Ministry of Culture of the Government of the Dominican Republic, will provide us with the ability to explore the two most historically important shipping lanes of the New World that touch on this island nation. In the Punta Cana area, we are most interested in the 1502 fleet that lost over 20 vessels in one storm. The losses in both of these areas were staggering and our work allows us to bring to light the conditions under which the men lived. We hope to recover many of the incredible historical artifacts that lay on the bottom of the ocean. These items have remained lost to history for hundreds of years. Upon recovery they will be turned over to the Oficina Nacional de Patrimonio Cultura Subcuatico for cataloging and restoration. Fundacion Punta Cana's division of items recovered will be housed in a museum that Fundacion Punta Cana is constructing within the Altagracia Province. The items recovered on the North Shore will be housed in the National Museum in Santo Domingo and also in The Shipwreck Museum owned and operated by Deep Blue Marine, Inc., located in Samana, Dominican Republic."