In June 2012 the Archaeological Superintendency for Lazio in collaboration with Teknomar srl and the Diving Unit of the Carabinieri, undertook work on the wreck on the Secca dei Mattoni, in the sea off the island of Ponza. The aim was to carry out maintenance work on the structures protecting the deposit, constituted by metal grills fixed to perimeter structures, and identify a significant sector of the timber structure of the wreck in order to evaluate its state of preservation, alignment and main technical characteristics and dimensions.

A substantial section of the central part of the cargo lying in contact with the timber structure of the keel was uncovered. The shift in the position of the amphora caused by the collapse of the cargo itself and of the ship’s structures was clearly visible.

The hull’s timber structure was exposed in the south, central and north parts of the excavation, in order to make a graphic reconstruction of the ship’s main transverse section.
To the south, the position of the central longitudinal timber was identified from the alignment of the keelson overlying the frame timbers and the keel. A pair of timbers on which the planks of the bilge ceiling rested were also identified.

This campaign added to our knowledge of the wreck, the technical-construction characteristics, and the transverse profile of the central part of the cargo.

Furthermore, prior to repositioning the protective metal grills, part of the load of this large late Republican merchant cargo ship made up of amphora and pottery from Campania and Latium, was positioned in such a way as to be visible, without being damaged, to divers.