The artifacts are stored at facilities managed by the NHB and the institute, where they will be cleaned, preserved and catalogued.

Flecker said of the Shah Munchah: "Had she survived another 23 years, she would almost certainly have called at the re-established port of Singapore. Her incredibly diverse cargo provides great insights into the type of goods that would have been exchanged and purchased by the new inhabitants of this fledgling city."

The shipwrecks, the first to be found in Singaporean waters, will contribute to a better understanding of the nation's maritime past. As no claims had been lodged for the wrecks and their artifacts at the end of the stipulated notice period of one month, they have been claimed by the authorities in Singapore.

Although it is highly likely that more wrecks lie on the seabed in Singapore's waters, some of these have been covered by reclamation work, while heavy maritime traffic in the Singapore Strait makes locating others a hazardous business.

Yeo Kirk Siang, director of heritage research and assessment for the NHB, said, "As an island that has been serving as the gateway to Asia for centuries, Singapore today is the legacy of our rich maritime heritage.

"We will continue to research the significance of the artifacts and find ways to promote knowledge, enabling more people to learn about them and Singapore's maritime history."

The NHB plans to display the artifacts in museums in Singapore from the end of this year, while the institute will likely publish related findings in reports and research papers.

ASIA NEWS NETWORK/THE STRAITS TIMES