Stories

Delve into our flagship programmes, stories, blogs and online exhibitions.

Discover the voices behind our heritage

The Stories section brings together inspiring narratives and historical insights that shape our understanding of maritime heritage and its impact on the current ocean economy. These narratives highlight lessons learned from the past, innovations and technical transitions that protect lives at sea, and the human commitment to safeguarding communities and environments.

Explore our flagship programmes: Learning from the Past, Rewriting Women into Maritime History and Potentially Polluting Wrecks. By fostering collaboration with academic institutions, industry partners, and community stakeholders, through these projects, we enhance our understanding of the challenges facing the maritime sector, and contribute to building a safer, more sustainable, and resilient ocean economy.

Key Themes

Scuba diver exploring a large underwater shipwreck in dark blue waters.

Theme 3: Safety – Shipwrecks and Maritime Disaster

Learning from past maritime disasters to develop a global perspective and integrate lessons learned to advance maritime safety, resilience and sustainability.

People in colourful clothes sorting seafood or fish in a wet market with baskets and plastic crates surrounding them.

Theme 4: Equity & Transparency – Forgotten Voices and Hidden Figures

Uncovering overlooked stories to build a more inclusive narrative that fosters trust and fairness across global maritime history.

Blueprint showing engineering technical drawings on blue background with detailed circular and rectangular component designs and measurements.

Theme 5: Transitions – Ships, Ports and Technical Transition

Understanding transitions to prepare for future challenges and strengthen resilience across the global maritime system.

Flagship programmes

Person in dark clothing searching through archival storage shelves with boxes under fluorescent lighting.

Learning from the Past

Understanding our heritage for a safer, sustainable future.

Scuba diver exploring a sunken submarine wreck in deep blue waters.

Potentially Polluting Wrecks

Leveraging our funding, archive and knowledge network to address the environmental risks posed by hazardous materials in thousands of sunken vessels worldwide.

A lush green wetland landscape with a person in a green sari standing amid vegetation, water and city skyline in background.

Rewriting Women into Maritime History

Uncovering female shipping expertise, experience and leadership to promote gender equity, diversity and inclusion. Founded in the UK, the project is now global.

Latest stories

Small red and white pilot boat navigating alongside a large white cruise ship hull.

This page was published on 09/09/2026

This page is approximately a 8 minute read

What are the rules for ships entering and leaving ports?

Entering and leaving port may seem routine, but it involves a complex web of rules, checks, and coordination. From notifying authorities days in advance to working with pilots and tugboats, each step ensures safety — and no two ports present exactly the same challenge.

Photograph of a vibrant yellow oilseed rape field bordered by lush green woodland under a blue sky.

This page was published on 02/09/2026

This page is approximately a 8 minute read

Are biofuels a driver for decarbonisation?

Shipping accounts for 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, making decarbonisation an urgent priority. Biofuels, derived from plant matter, waste oils, and animal fats, present a promising solution. But do they hold enough potential to meaningfully drive the maritime sector toward a greener future?

This page was published on 11/08/2026

This page is approximately a 5 minute read

Lloyd’s Register at Galata Quay: A Historic Photograph

A photograph of Galata Quay reveals how Lloyd’s Register, Ottoman authorities, and global trade shaped maritime oversight in Istanbul. Discover the story.

Vintage black-and-white photograph of a large ocean liner being dismantled at a shipbreaking yard with cranes.

This page was published on 05/08/2026

This page is approximately a 17 minute read

How iron and steel ships were reused, reworked and recycled

This story explores how iron and steel ships were repurposed, converted into hulks, broken down in scrapyards, or deliberately sunk - and the complex environmental and geopolitical forces shaping that process.