ProMare

⚓ HMS Tiger: An 118-Year Old Maritime Mystery

We’re proud to have supported ProjectXplore in the successful discovery, positive identification and comprehensive documentation of HMS Tiger, the last missing Royal Navy ‘30-knotter’ lost in the English Channel.

HMS Tiger sank in 1908 following a collision with HMS Berwick, with the tragic loss of 35 officers and men. After almost four years of historical research, hydrographic survey and technical diving, both surviving sections of the wreck have now been located and documented.

Finding Tiger was no easy task. A complex seabed, severe weather, heavy commercial traffic and challenging sonar conditions made the search particularly demanding.

Once located, ProjectXplore documented the site across four dives using photography, film, measurements and photogrammetry, creating a detailed archaeological record without disturbing the wreck.

For ProMare, supporting projects like this reflects the importance of combining technology, exploration and collaboration to better understand and preserve our shared maritime history.

Most importantly, this discovery brings HMS Tiger back into the historical record and helps preserve the story of the 35 men who lost their lives aboard her 118 years ago.

Congratulations to the ProjectXplore team and everyone involved in bringing this remarkable search to a successful conclusion.

Sometimes the ocean surprises us. During environmental clean-up activities, Norwegian company Green-Bay stumbled upon a remarkable shipwreck, a site perfectly preserved beneath the sea.

In summer 2025, the ProMare team joined Green-Bay for a dive on the wreck. We found intact structures, intricate construction details, and a treasure trove of artefacts, all offering a fascinating glimpse into maritime history. ⚓

Watch our dive and explore this incredible discovery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J17ol4mX6U

The ocean holds countless stories- and each one reminds us why we explore, preserve, and share.

The Mayflower Autonomous Ship returns to the UK for future missions!

Just before the New Year, Mayflower returned to Plymouth and is now safely at her new home at HMNB Devonport. Over the coming months, we’ll be preparing her for significant, long-range at-sea missions, operating from Plymouth throughout the spring and summer. 🌊

We are excited to see her getting ready to go back out, and continue to support ocean research, exploration, and innovation, building on her legacy while looking firmly toward the future.

We recently 3D scanned the National Marine Aquarium's Zebra Shark jaw specimen at The Box’s Super Saturday event!

A huge thank you to our friends at the National Marine Aquarium, home of the Ocean Conservation Trust, for granting us permission to scan and share this remarkable specimen.

You can now explore the interactive 3D model on the Maritime Library website, just scroll to the bottom of the Ecological Collections page to see it in motion.

https://promare.org/maritime-library-artefact-library-ecological-collection/

The National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, UK, is the largest aquarium in the country, home to over 4,000 animals, from local British waters to tropical reefs. The aquarium connects people with the ocean, encouraging marine conservation through education and research.

Image credit: Unsplash

The final resting place of HMS Nottingham, the last missing WWI British light cruiser, has been discovered, identified, and documented by the team at ProjectXplore . Well done to the team for this accomplishment!

We’re proud to have supported this important expedition, which contributes to the preservation and understanding of maritime history.

ProjectXplore brings divers together with shipwreck exploration initiatives, offering rare insight into historic wrecks- this one being a particularly significant find.

After eight months of planning, divers were deployed in July 2025 to document the wreck following April 2025 surveys; using towed side-scan sonar (SSS), down-scanning sonar (DSS), and a single-beam echo sounder (SBES) to further understand the site.

HMS Nottingham saw action at Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank, and Jutland before being torpedoed by German submarine U-52 on 19 August 1916. We honour the memory of those who lost their lives that day.

Read more here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cglzw18yng4o

Image Credits: ProjectXplore

Question time with Adela Hawleyley, our expert in Collections Management & Heritage Consultancy!

With years of experience in conservation, curation, and collections care, Adela is now blending traditional heritage practices with cutting-edge digital preservation methods. She's passionate about making cultural heritage both protected and globally accessible. We asked her some questions on heritage, and where it might be headed! Read her answers below…

Here is a sneak peak of a new development... We are digitising the South West’s largest collection of preserved pickled specimens, with the support of Different View.

This collaboration with The Box Plymouth will allow anyone to explore these specimens in incredible detail, whether for research, education, or even curiosity.

By preserving these unique collections digitally, we’re making them accessible to all!