Experts from the Mary Rose Trust who preserve King Henry VIII's favourite warship are jubilant after being asked to preserve the remains of a 2,500-year-old Greek trading vessel raised from the deep.
About 700 sodden timbers were transported halfway across Europe last week from a wreck site off Sicily to the trust's conservation facilities.
The timbers will be submerged in water-soluble wax for four years, in a process similar to that used to conserve the hull of the Mary Rose, and then freeze-dried in a huge vacuum chamber.
If the work goes according to plan, the Portsmouth team may eventually be asked by the Italian authorities to rebuild the 60ft-long ship.
Paola Palma, a maritime archaeologist at the trust, said: 'I'm very excited. We're only aware of one other vessel like this in the world.'
The Raising of the Mary Rose.