Merchant Royal

http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/florida/flmdce/8:2007cv00616/197307/81/

On January 24-25, 2008, Odyssey provided certain information to Spain in response to the Order of January 10, 2008. Spain asserts that Odyssey failed to provide all the information that the Order mandated to be provided. Spain has therefore filed a Motion to Compel Disclosure and for Other Relief for all three cases. Spain also complained that with respect to the information that was produced, Odyssey adopted a blanket approach: each and every document, photograph, and videotape was designated as confidential, regardless of what it shows or contains. That was the reason given for this latest motion.

http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/florida/flmdce/8:2007cv00616/197307/83/

Odyssey has responded to Spain's motion. Odyssey states that Spain has not met the initial burden of describing which items it wishes the Court to determine the removal of the confidentiality designation status.

Spain seeks to strike the confidential designations of "photographs, artifact lists,
artifact descriptions, and certain other documents provided by Odyssey" in Spain
Motion for an Order Declaring Certain Materials as Not Confidential. Odyssey argues that the Protective Order allows Spain to "apply to the Court for a determination as to whether (a confidentiality) designation is appropriate." The determination is particular to each and
every document and information designated as confidential "if a party believes that a
document or information designated or sought to be designated confidential by the
producing party does not warrant such designation.

http://shipwreck.net/pr155.html

BDJ Discovery Group, the company that originally discovered evidence of the site, brought the project to Odyssey in 2007 and an agreement was reached for Odyssey to take over all aspects of the project. BDJ has assigned all of its rights to the artifacts and any wreck from which they originate to Odyssey in return for up to 15% of any proceeds from artifact sales after archaeological excavation, conservation, marketing and certain other expenses.

In 2005, BDJ Discovery Group filed the original arrest action against the Unidentified Shipwreck Vessel, its apparel, tackle, appurtenances and cargo located in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean approximately 12 miles off the coast of North Carolina.

To date Odyssey has claims on the HMS Sussex, the Black Swan site which produced 17 tons of silver coins, the Ancona, an Italian vessel that is believed to have carried a gold cargo, and possibly the Merchant Royal.

As a side note, the domain name "ElSalvadorshipwreck.com","ElSalvadorshipwreck.net" and "fireflyshipwreck.com" were created on Feb. 21st, 2008, the same day that Odyssey issued a press release on the motion. The "fireflyshipwreck.com" links back to Odyssey's website, the other two do not. The true owner is hidden so we can only guess that Odyssey owns all of the names.

http://shipwreck.net/pr154.html

If it turns out that the FireFly is the El Salvador, then Odyssey has just obtained a claim on the richest shipwreck north of Florida.