During a consultation workshop with experts on the conservation plan for the shipwreck recently uncovered along the coast of Hoi An Tay Ward (Da Nang City) on November 20, Mr. Tran Dinh Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the excavation is slated for April and May 2026. This period offers calm seas, making it suitable for technical operations and the transport of recovered artifacts to preservation and exhibition facilities.
At the workshop, experts concluded that an on-site exhibition is not feasible because the site lies adjacent to a tourist area, is heavily affected by weather conditions, and fails to meet requirements for long-term conservation. They recommended that local authorities complete scientific documentation, including geological–hydrological data and the current state of the relic, as the basis for ministerial appraisal and municipal approval of the excavation plan. While awaiting implementation, the shipwreck site must be strictly protected, with continuous monitoring of wave activity.
From a technical perspective, the entire vessel can only be raised intact if its structure remains stable; in the event of decayed timber, components must be dismantled, numbered, and documented to facilitate restoration in accordance with international practice. The excavation results are expected to shed light on the formation and development of Hoi An and lay the groundwork for research toward establishing a maritime heritage museum.
The shipwreck’s artifacts were first exposed in late December 2023 in Thinh My residential group (Hoi An Tay Ward), located 4.7 km south of Cua Dai Beach. Since then, the remains have repeatedly been buried and re-exposed to varying degrees.
