Preliminary results from a shipwreck discovered lying in the main shipping channel of Waterford port indicate that it may be of significant historical importance.
The ship could be the Great Louis, which was part of the anti- confederate fleet under Cromwell that attacked Duncannon fort around 1645.
It is located in the main shipping lane of the harbour, a mile south-west of Duncannon.
The wreck was discovered in 1999, as the area was being dredged to protect the Port of Waterford navigation channel.
Its precise location was pinpointed in 2001, and inspections of the wreck have been carried out by a private company on behalf of the Port of Waterford.
For the past fortnight the Underwater Archaeology Unit of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has been carrying out excavation work on the wreck.
The surveys have resulted in a number of artefacts being removed from the site for protection and further study to confirm the identity of the ship.
Pieces of the furnace, the abundance of lead used in construction and studies of the cannon indicate that the ship dates from the 17th century, and its position and age indicate it could be the Great Louis.
The Department of the Environment along with the Waterford Treasures at the Granary museum and the National Museum will examine conservation policy for the wreck, and items could be removed to be displayed for historical purposes.
However, the main aim at present is to ensure that the largest portion of the ship, which is still intact along with a number of cannon, is preserved.
As Waterford Port must continue dredging in the area an exclusion zone has been placed around the wreck.