SS Prudentia

The following presents new data collected as part of a recent Historic Scotland funded project – the Scapa Flow 2013 Marine Archaeology Survey – which aimed to assess the extent and condition of some of the sites around Scapa Flow.

Built in 1889 by Plamers Co. Ltd. In Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Prudentia was a British Oiler owned by JM Lennard & Sons Lennards Carrying co. Ltd, which sank following a collision with the SS Hermoine on 12^th January 1916. Reports from the Naval Salvage Adviser to the Rear Admiral Scapa Flow concluded that she was not considered suitable for immediate salvage “owing to the scarcity of the necessary salvage appliances and the fact that the vessel [was] not an obstruction to navigation” (ADM 116-1507: Case 2490).

Orkney Harbours Authority commissioned two previous surveys of the remains – the first was an ROV survey completed by Keith Bichan of Roving Eye enterprises in 1998/1999 to check the oil in holds. The second was completed by Leask Marine in 2000/2001 to sandbag the top of the wreck to prevent an oil leak. 

The site cannot be dived by recreational divers.

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