Project Thalassa digitizes Catalan shipwrecks using 3D modeling

Project Thalassa, a scientific and educational initiative, is working to digitize and preserve underwater heritage along the Catalan coast through 3D modeling. For over a year, a group of divers has been using photogrammetry—primarily utilizing action cameras—to document sunken vessels and other submerged structures.

To date, the project has scanned approximately twenty wrecks, with significant activity in the Tarragona region and the Costa Brava, including areas such as Roses, L’Escala, and Palamós. The team focuses on contemporary vessels that hold sentimental value to the local territory. One recent operation in Ametlla de Mar involved documenting the Pepito La Lula, a 26-meter wooden fishing boat that sank 25 years ago at a depth of roughly 30 meters.

By creating these digital reproductions, the project allows for the monitoring of the vessels' conservation status and provides detailed information to diving centers. The initiative also includes non-maritime sites, such as a submerged hermitage in the Canyelles reservoir.