UNDP Launches Global Challenge for Underwater Ordnance Detection Technologies

Maritime December 4, 2025

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has initiated a global innovation challenge aimed at discovering new technologies for the detection and mapping of underwater unexploded ordnance (UXO).

This initiative presents a significant opportunity for technology and engineering firms within the defence supply chain to adapt and apply their expertise to the humanitarian demining sector. The challenge seeks practical and cost-effective solutions to identify submerged explosive remnants of war in both freshwater and saltwater environments, addressing a critical bottleneck in post-conflict recovery efforts.

In partnership with the UK-based innovation platform Wazoku and consultancy SeaFreight Labs, the UNDP is crowdsourcing ideas from a global network of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs. The primary objective is to develop systems that can effectively locate and mark underwater mines and munitions, thereby enhancing the safety and efficiency of subsequent clearance operations. Such technologies are vital for restoring the use of inland waterways and coastal areas, which are often crucial for the economic and social recovery of communities affected by conflict. For decades, the clearance of underwater UXO has remained one of the most complex and resource-intensive aspects of mine action.

Submissions for the challenge are open until 9 March 2026. The UNDP is seeking solutions that are not only technologically robust but also affordable and simple enough for deployment in challenging, crisis-affected settings. This represents a clear opportunity for specialist suppliers to showcase innovative sensor, imaging, and data mapping technologies. The solutions will be evaluated by a panel of experts, with the potential for successful concepts to be integrated into UNDP’s extensive mine action programmes, which have operated in 50 countries over the last 30 years.

The challenge will be facilitated through Wazoku’s Innocentive platform, a global community of over 700,000 problem-solvers. This collaboration marks the first of its kind between a United Nations agency and Wazoku. Future challenges in the series will focus on other aspects of crisis recovery, including youth-led mental health solutions and community-based tools for real-time crisis data collection. This ongoing programme signals a sustained effort by the UNDP to leverage private sector innovation to address complex humanitarian problems, offering a continuous avenue for engagement by UK industry.

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