5th International Congress of Maritime History
June 2008
The Greenwich Maritime Institute are very proud to report on the great success of the 5th International Congress of Maritime History that they organised and then hosted from 23–27 June 2008.
This event was the largest gathering of maritime historians ever reported and represented over 30 countries from all over the world. The subjects covered by the 230 papers presented showed the increasing diversity of the subject and covered everything from ancient maritime history to current shipping economics.
The Congress was pleased to be able to include keynote addresses given by Dr David Williams of the University of Leicester; Professor Gopalan Balachandran of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Switzerland; Professor Nicholas Rodger of the University of Exeter; Professor Lewis Fischer of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Rear Admiral Alan Massey of the Royal Navy.
Funding to assist in the organisation of the congress was given by The British Academy and as a way to support new academics in the field, scholarships were offered to a number of postgraduates students due to the generous support of the Royal Navy and the Economic History Society.
Entertainment over the week was provided by a welcome reception at the Queen’s House, National Maritime Museum; a Morris dancing display by the Greensleeves Morris Men and culminated in the congress dinner which was held in the impressive Painted Hall of the Old Royal Naval College.
The atmosphere of the whole event was excellent with plenty of opportunities for delegates to mix with so many others from across the discipline and to catch up with old friends.
The congress was covened by the International Maritime Economic History Association whose detailed can be located at the following website:
http://www.mun.ca/mhp/imeha.htm
The 6th International Congress of Maritime History is due to be held in 2012 and will be organised and hosted by Ghent University, Belgium.
