Signing of a New Memorandum of Understanding between the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and the Armed Forces of Malta

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) and the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 30 April 2026, reinforcing their collaboration to safeguard Malta’s cultural heritage, particularly within its territorial waters.

The agreement reflects Malta’s commitments under the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), strengthening coordinated efforts to monitor and protect heritage sites at sea and along the coast.

As the national authority responsible for cultural heritage, SCH designates underwater cultural heritage sites as protected zones, notices of which are published in the Government Gazette, and maintains the national inventory. Through this partnership, SCH will share relevant data with the AFM, enabling personnel to identify and protect these sites while performing their operational duties across Malta’s seas and coastline.

In cases where previously unrecorded cultural heritage is identified, or where suspicious activity is observed that may impact such sites, the AFM will work closely with SCH to ensure appropriate action is taken to protect our national heritage.

Members of the public are encouraged to report any discoveries or suspicious activity related to cultural heritage via the “Report a Discovery” form or to contact the AFM should they encounter material that might be deemed an unexploded ordinance (UXO).

This collaboration marks an important step in strengthening national capacity for the protection of cultural heritage through coordinated monitoring and information-sharing.