Conservation
Treating waterlogged wood can be tricky. After the timbers had been cleaned and recorded the team started the active conservation process.
The wood from the Newport Ship was contaminated with iron corrosion products. If the team had left the wood in this state then it would encourage further decay, causing problems in years to come when reassembling and displaying the ship. To deal with this issue the timbers were soaked in a chemical solution of ammonium citrate for several months. This allowed the soluble iron salts to be dissolved and washed out.
The timbers were then soaked in an increasingly concentrated solution of Polyethylene glycol (PEG). The PEG replaced the water in the timbers, making the wood stronger and more stable. This process was a lengthy one and took many years.
The process for the Newport Ship differed from that undertaken for famous ships like the Mary Rose and Vasa because the timbers had all been separated during the excavation phase. This meant that the timbers could be treated simultaneously in large tanks, rather than having to be sprayed continuously with preserving chemicals.
After soaking in PEG the timbers are placed in a giant vacuum freeze dryer, which removed water from the timbers in a process called sublimation. After completing the freeze-drying treatment, the timbers are stored in large, insulated rooms at the ship centre. Climate-control ensures the long-term preservation of the ship timbers.