top of page

MARITIME HERITAGE INSTITUTE

The Historically Significant Work We Do

Our Role in the Preservation of Maritime Heritage: What We Do

Sails

The Maritime Heritage Institute is a non-profit company whose aims are to:

​

Preserve, interpret and advance our maritime heritage by facilitating and/or hosting: 

​

  • Maritime heritage lecture and dialogue series, 

  • National, continental and international maritime heritage conferences/summits,  

  • Coastal and inland waterways business & entrepreneurship seminars;  

  • Maritime heritage awards  

​

Facilitating and/or hosting arts, culture and heritage festivals, including the following genres:  

​

  • Film, video, television and documentaries  

  • Theatre  

  • Books & literature  

  • Music  

  • Journalism, including social and other new media 

  • Encouraging and partnering in advancing studies in maritime journalism and literature,  

  • Promoting career-pathing, skills development and job creation in maritime heritage industries  

  • Co-ordinating research projects on maritime heritage  

  • Maintaining inventories of historic maritime properties,  

  • Providing preservation assistance through publications and consultation,  

  • Educating the public and developing awareness about maritime heritage,   

  • Encouraging the youth to participate in building and sustaining maritime heritage,  

  • Profiling selected SA ports, their history, evolution and socio-economic impact on local communities 

Dedicated to Advancing the Knowledge of our Maritime Legacy

The MHI further aims to situate and advance the knowledge and engagement of our maritime heritage and future in popular, scholarly, ordinary folk, interest-specific and communities’ consciousness and everyday practice.

In this way, the MHI seeks to bring together, at regular gatherings, individuals, institutions and groups with a wide-ranging interest in maritime heritage.

These include: 

  • Maritime museums and museums with maritime holdings

  • Historic vessels

  • Archives with maritime holdings

  • Maritime archaeologists

  • Maritime historians

  • Maritime authors, journalists, artists

  • Maritime filmmakers

It also aims to provide a range of stimulating plenary session speakers and to discuss issues of contemporary note to the maritime heritage sector.

A key objective of the Institute is to facilitate networking and dialogue between institutions, groups and individuals within the various parts of the maritime heritage sector.

bottom of page