Preserving the legacy of Endurance
In March 2022, the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust (FMHT) successfully located Sir Ernest Shackleton's legendary ship, Endurance, resting 3,008 metres beneath the Weddell Sea, and more than a century after it sank in Antarctica. The expedition generated an unprecedented volume of archaeological, environmental and survey data, including 25,000 high resolution images, sonar scans, laser imagery and detailed 3D reconstructions of the wreck.
To ensure this internationally significant discovery could be explored, studied and preserved for future generations, FMHT used ArcGIS Online as a central platform for managing, visualising and sharing this vast collection of data. The result is a permanent digital record of one of the world's most remarkable maritime heritage sites. In the future that digital record will be made accessible to researchers, educators and the public worldwide.
A single accessible digital platform that brings together 25,000 images and related data
3D visualisations enable exploring the wreck in unprecedented detail
A digital archive that will be shared with future generations
The Challenge
The discovery of Endurance in March 2022 marked one of the most significant maritime archaeological finds of the century. Resting undisturbed at the bottom of the Weddell Sea for over 100 years, the wreck was exceptionally well preserved, providing an unprecedented opportunity to document and study the vessel and its surrounding environment.
The expedition collected an enormous volume of information. Deep-sea specialists captured more than 25,000 high resolution images of the wreck, while remotely operated underwater vehicles equipped with optical laser scanners mapped the vessel from every angle. These datasets were digitally combined to create highly detailed 3D reconstructions of both the ship and the adjacent seabed.
The challenge was not simply collecting the data but ensuring it could be effectively managed, preserved and shared. Archaeological observations, environmental datasets, sonar surveys, laser imagery and photogrammetry outputs needed to be brought together within a single platform to create a complete and connected story of Endurance. The Trust required a solution that would make this information accessible and engaging to a wide audience while also creating a digital resource for researchers and future expeditions.
Endurance is one of the most well preserved wrecks ever found, so it was essential to create a digital record that would last for decades. ArcGIS has allowed us to bring the data together and make it accessible in a really engaging way, ensuring that our story isn’t fragmented."
Elena Lewendon, Chief Operating Officer, The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust
The Solution
The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust used Esri’s Geographical Information System (GIS) technology as the central system for bringing together the wide range of datasets collected. By integrating the data into a single spatial platform, a comprehensive and immersive digital representation of the site was created.
Following the discovery, the Trust developed a detailed photogrammetry model of the wreck, providing a precise bow-to-stern reconstruction of the 44-metre vessel and its surrounding debris field. Esri’s ArcGIS Online enables users to explore the wreck in an interactive 3D environment, rotating and examining the model while accessing linked high-resolution imagery.
ArcGIS Online also serves as a permanent digital archive of the site. Researchers, scientists and marine archaeologists can return to the data for future study, undertake new analysis and, should future expeditions revisit the wreck, compare datasets to monitor the vessel's condition over time.
Importantly, the system was designed to meet the needs of a diverse audience. Schools, researchers, academics and the wider public can all access both simple and complex data about Endurance, making one of history's most famous exploration stories more accessible and engaging than ever before.
The measurement tools in ArcGIS are extraordinary. We can measure, for example, with accuracy to within a centimetre, the size and shape of the impact craters formed when the wreck hit the seabed, and from this understand her velocity and direction of descent when she sank, over 100 years ago."
Elena Lewendon, Chief Operating Officer, The Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust
Benefits
Bringing Data Together
ArcGIS Online provides a single platform for managing and presenting the vast amount of information collected during the expedition. By combining archaeological, environmental and survey data in one place, FMHT has created a unified view of the wreck and its surrounding environment, improving data management and long-term preservation.
Interactive Exploration
The immersive 3D environment transforms how users engage with the wreck. Interactive visualisation and measurement tools allow people to investigate features of the vessel, explore the surrounding seabed and develop a deeper understanding of the events that unfolded more than a century ago. This interactive experience brings the story of Endurance to life in a way that traditional media cannot.
Global Accessibility
The platform will soon make this extraordinary heritage resource available to anyone, anywhere in the world. Researchers will be able to access valuable scientific and archaeological information, while members of the public will be able to explore the wreck for themselves and gain a greater appreciation for the importance of maritime heritage conservation.
Supporting Future Education and Research
The digital archive creates opportunities for ongoing scientific investigation and monitoring of the site. Looking ahead, the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust plans to expand its use of Esri technology, including ArcGIS StoryMaps, to develop educational experiences that engage new audiences with Shackleton's story. By making the expedition data more accessible, the Trust hopes to inspire future generations of engineers, scientists and marine archaeologists while safeguarding the legacy of one of history's greatest survival stories.
