Nord Stream benefits from the expertise of the existing mine-sweep units of the Baltic navies. The navies of the Baltic Sea States have developed safe and effective munitions clearance methods, which have also been used by other navies around the world to dispose of munitions.

Since 1996, the states of the Baltic Sea region in cooperation with NATO members have conducted yearly munitions clearance operations in the Baltic Sea. Since that time, approximately 1,000 munitions have been cleared.

Over the last decade, the navies of the Baltic Sea States have developed both safe and effective methods for the clearance of mines and other explosive underwater ordnance. Other national navies have used these methods around the world to dispose of munitions.

The biggest de-mining operations include:

• Baltic Sweep (1996-1999), in which all Baltic Sea countries were engaged
• Open Spirit (started in 1997, ongoing), in which Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania as well as Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the UK are taking part
• MCOPLAT/MCOPLIT/MCOPEST, held annually since 1996. The name of the exercise varies depending on which country is hosting the event – Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia. In 2009, the operation included 13 boats from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Lithuania, France, Finland and Germany.

Smaller mine clearance operations include Baltron Squadex (by the naval squadron Baltron, comprising the Joint Staff of the Baltic States and ships of the navies of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which was inaugurated in 1998) and Cleanex.

In total, over 1,000 munitions have been cleared thus far during the Baltic Sweep, Open Spirit and MCOPLAT/MCOPLIT/MCOPEST operations.

The basic principles of the clearance methods used in these operations involve placing a small charge next to the identified live or suspected live munition on the seabed using a small, specially developed ROV (remotely operated vehicle). These charges are then detonated from a surface support ship located at a safe distance from the target.