A key objective of the competence center is to establish innovative technologies for industrial-scale underwater munitions clearance. This includes the development of the world's first floating disposal platform, where recovered legacy munitions can be safely processed directly at sea. With this initiative, Germany is taking on an international pioneering role while creating technologies that could be deployed in other regions around the world.

It is no coincidence that the competence center is being established in Rostock. Home to the Ocean Technology Campus (OTC), the city has become one of Germany's leading innovation hubs for maritime technologies. Fraunhofer IGD is one of the driving forces behind this network and has played a key role in shaping the site's development over many years. Together with partners from academia, industry, and the public sector, the institute is helping develop new technologies for the sustainable use and protection of the oceans.

A cornerstone of these activities is the Digital Ocean Lab (DOL), operated by Fraunhofer IGD. Located in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Rostock, the DOL is a unique maritime testing and research facility where sensor systems, autonomous underwater vehicles, AI-based methods, and digital technologies can be developed, tested, and validated under real-world conditions. The test site also includes dedicated areas for the detection and identification of underwater unexploded ordnance (UXO), providing ideal conditions for developing new technologies for safe underwater munitions clearance. By combining research, testing infrastructure, and real-world applications, Fraunhofer IGD contributes exactly the expertise needed to support the establishment of the German Competence Center and enable the efficient and safe recovery of legacy munitions from the North Sea and Baltic Sea.