New Underwater Surveys of the SS Samuel J. Tilden Wreck in the Port of Bari
3D technologies and immersive 360° footage for the study and enhancement of underwater historical heritage and the marine environment
From 20 to 22 October 2026, a new underwater survey campaign was carried out on the wreck of the US vessel SS Samuel J. Tilden, which sank in the port of Bari in December 1943 during the Second World War.
The activities involved the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), the University of Siena, the University of Salento and the Pescara Underwater Carabinieri Unit, with the support of the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Metropolitan City of Bari.
The survey campaign aimed to update the wreck's 3D model through new photogrammetric acquisitions focusing on the vessel's sides, superstructure and fore and aft decks. The images collected will make it possible to enhance the level of detail of the digital reconstruction and gain further insight into the wreck's structural features and state of preservation.
One of the main innovations was the use of an Insta360 camera, provided by EasyDive, to capture immersive 360° footage of the wreck and its surrounding marine environment. The material collected will be used to develop virtual exploration experiences, making this submerged historical heritage, which is difficult to access in person, available to the wider public.
The integration of photogrammetry, bathymetric surveys and immersive technologies offers new opportunities for the scientific documentation and enhancement of underwater cultural heritage. The wreck is not merely a testimony to the historical events that affected the port of Bari, but also a submerged structure that interacts with the marine ecosystem, potentially providing settlement surfaces for benthic organisms.
This initiative helps promote the use of innovative technologies for the study, digital preservation and communication of underwater heritage, highlighting the links between history, scientific research and the marine environment.
