One-of-a-kind underwater museum: Navy ships create artificial reef and attract marine life off the coast of Portimão

Ocean Revival Portimão, Portugal 1 ©Nuno Silva

By: Bruno Filipe Pires

Photo: ©Nuno Silva

A tale of revival

Weighing 1,400 tonnes, measuring 85 metres long and 10 metres wide, the Oliveira e Carmo corvette served a long and prolific career in the Portuguese Navy between 1975 and 1999.

2012 sinking ©Bruno Filipe Pires

Rusted and missing its helm, the ship was carefully towed to Portimão in early 2012, in what was its final voyage to become the first of four ships donated by the navy to the local municipality to be sunk.

She was followed by patrol ship Zambeze (1972–2003), research vessel Almeida Carvalho (1972–2001), and frigate Hermenegildo Capelo (1968–2004) – at 102.5 metres in length, the latter was the largest of the fleet.

2012 sinking ©Bruno Filipe Pires

Starting in October that same year, the ships were sunk around 5.5km off Prainha beach, along the Alvor coastline, in an area that would not interfere with marine traffic.

The plan was to create Ocean Revival, a one-of-a-kind underwater museum in Portugal that could serve both as a spot for recreational diving and as a home for marine life.

Thanks to the commitment of several partners, the €3 million project was a success. Today, “it’s a thriving environment.

©Nuno Silva

The park sits in a confluence of currents and, although 13 years have passed, the ships are still not completely settled on the seabed, which means the site is constantly changing. And it’s full of life.

From a marine biology point of view, it’s a huge success. We’re talking about a sandy area that was practically a desert”, explains Nuno Monteiro, diving instructor and president of Portisub – Clube Subaquático de Portimão, an organisation that has supported the creation of Ocean Revival from the outset.

©João Encarnação

According to Nuno Monteiro, although Ocean Revival is not as publicised as it was in the beginning, the demand is there. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, scuba diving was classified a high-risk activity and, during the pandemic’s peak years, the sport saw a significant decrease.

“This allowed the flora and fauna to develop immensely. Today, you can see different types of fish swimming between the antennas such as corvina, bream, sea bream, European conger or octopus,” with some divers even spotting tuna. “It’s an amazing spectacle,” he says.

©João Encarnação

Nuno Monteiro, who has been diving since 1986, explains that “whilst in a real shipwreck you have to be extra careful, here exploration is much easier”. The four ships were carefully prepared to ensure safety.

They were cleared of hydrocarbons, asbestos, cabling and anything else that could be harmful to the environment. Dangerous features on the superstructures were also removed.

©João Encarnação

“All hatches, doors and obstacles that could create problems have been removed. And there are always two exit points available,” so that divers do not get lost inside.

Nuno Monteiro believes that this is “an easy dive” but stresses the need for advanced diver certification.

©Nuno Silva

“On most visits, we go up to the deck, at the top of the hulls, all at a depth of around 20 metres. Further down, there are anchors and other things to discover.

The deepest ship is at 36 metres,” making it ideal for the more seasoned diver in search of a challenge.

©João Encarnação

The biggest hurdle is visibility. In his experience, “the end of summer, in September and October, is a fantastic time to visit” the naval heritage site; although the height of summer is also good because “the water is warmer and usually calmer”.

In the future, Portisub will take over the management of the park, following an agreement with Portimão City Council. And there are plenty of ideas for promoting the site again.

“The Algarve’s shipwrecks are part of our history and there is a certain mystique about them. That is also true in this case, as each of these sunken ships has had a long military life. They were home to generations of sailors who spent hundreds of hours aboard on many missions, including combat missions, and created very strong emotional attachments” to the vessels.

“This heritage doesn’t belong only to Portimão or the divers. Above all, they are part of the Portuguese heritage that must be protected and promoted,” he says.

©Nuno Silva

Nuno Monteiro believes there is room for initiatives such as a handbook with rules of conduct and an environmental protection statute.

“We would like there to be fundamental rules regarding the use of the park, not only concerning safety practices when it comes to diving centres and certified maritime tourism companies operating there, but also monitoring against poaching. We need to get the message across that the park has been created to promote biodiversity in all its surrounding area. That way, everybody wins,” he emphasises. He is also willing to collaborate with universities interested in writing theses in the fields of science and biology. “We are very open and interested because such initiatives would only enrich the park even more.”

“Better than being scrapped, I think it’s a fitting end for these ships because they are still serving Portugal in a dignified and useful way,” he concludes.