Shoan Maru (Chinsen Maru)
Japanese merchant ship in Tanapag Lagoon, tentatively identified in 1990 as Shoan Maru (5,624 GRT, 1937); torpedoed in 1943 and finished off during the Battle of Saipan, it now lies in about 9–11 m with heavy coral growth and thousands of fish. Resident whitetip sharks, jacks, snappers and stonefish; visibility is usually better in winter. Part of the Saipan Maritime Heritage Trail.
Facts
- Region: Mariana Islands – Guam & Saipan
- Area: Saipan
- Depth: 8–11 m
- Level: beginner
- Current: low
- Type: wreck
- Coordinates: 15.25, 145.7 (approximate)
- Highlights: Japanese freighter, whitetip reef sharks, jacks, snappers, stonefish, goatfish
- Unverified: TracesOfWar lists a rounded position (15.25, 145.70) in Tanapag Lagoon; this is not a surveyed GPS fix, so the pin is only indicative. Depth sources give 9–11 m.
- Tips: Easy shallow wreck; watch for stonefish and leave the site untouched.