South Essex beaches could suffer a metre-high tidal wave if a warship loaded with explosives is blown up in the Thames Estuary.
Controlled explosions are one of the urgent options to be considered by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to make the USS Richard Montgomery safe.
The move could create a huge tidal wave along the Essex and Kent coastline affecting Shoebury, Southend, Leigh and Canvey.
David Stewart, spokesman for the Department for Transport, said consultants had been hired to look at the future of the 60-year-old wreck in the Thames Estuary between Shoebury and Sheerness.
The ship has the equivalant of 3,000 tons of TNT on board.
He added: "Two options consultants will be looking at in particular as part of the further risk assessment are scooping it up and taking it away or even demolishing the wreck with controlled explosions."
Mr Stewart said he was confident current sea defences could cope with the tidal wave, if it happened.
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