Ancient ship washed ashore in Hoi An after storm No. 13

Close-up of a position on the ancient ship's structure. Photo: CAM PHO

Hoi An World Cultural Heritage Conservation Center and functional forces also received information to protect the scene and verify the "origin" of the ship.

The frame of the shipwreck that washed ashore on the morning of November 9 is believed to be the "original" ship discovered by Hoi An residents in the early morning of December 26, 2023.

The location where the ship was discovered is close to the shore with the mainland about 400m from the People's Committee of Cam An Ward (old) towards An Bang beach. The wooden frame surrounding the body of the ship is raised above the sand, forming a shape around the body of the ship.

The silhouette of a ship emerged at Hoi An beach on the morning of November 8. Photo: CAM PHO

In 2024, the Hoi An World Heritage Conservation Center coordinated with experts from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City) to research the sunken ship. The report results showed that the sunken wooden ship was large in size, had a strong structure, and combined Southeast Asian and Chinese shipbuilding traditions.

The ship was made of Lagerstroemia and Euphorbia wood from Southeast Asia and Chinese pine, and was sealed with a sealant to prevent seawater intrusion.

These important features allowed ships to undertake long voyages such as commercial operations at sea or even naval warfare.

Frame, the load-bearing structure of the ship's hull. Photo: CAM PHO

Scientists believe the sunken ship is likely more than 17.8m long, with about 12 compartments.

To date, although there have been no results to determine the absolute age, the data shows that it is highly likely that the shipwreck dates from the late 14th to the 16th century.

Notably, scientists believe that the shipwreck in Hoi An could be an ancient treasure because it was discovered in an almost intact state.

[ VIDEO ] - Close-up of the ancient ship emerging in Hoi An on the morning of November 8:

"Thanks to the luck of history, the wooden ship still retains its structure quite intact, while many traditional ships discovered in the East Sea, Southeast Asia and in China do not have this luck.

The existence of the shipwreck is not only a testament to the vibrant maritime history before contact with Western maritime navigation, but also an extremely rare ancient ship "treasure" that is still the most intactly preserved in Vietnam, Southeast Asia and East Asia," the report stated.

After this report, the professional agency proposed solutions to protect the site and plan excavation to continue research.

However, while work was underway, sand buried the location of the ship, causing everything to be lost for about half a year.