This subcategory highlights academic networks that connect maritime scholars, researchers, and institutions worldwide. These communities foster collaboration, mentorship, interdisciplinary research, and long-term dialogue in the field of maritime history and trade.
• International academic associations
• Regional maritime research networks
• University-based consortia or working groups
• Online scholarly collaborations in maritime studies
Maritime academic networks link voices from coast to coast, continent to continent. They promote shared inquiry, reduce duplication, and make space for new perspectives – including those from underrepresented regions or disciplines. These networks shape how maritime knowledge flows and evolves.
International Maritime Economic History Association (IMEHA)
An international community of scholars focused on maritime economic history, including trade routes, shipping markets, and port development. IMEHA organizes the International Congress of Maritime History (in collaboration with IMHA).
Centre for Maritime Historical Studies – University of Exeter
Founded in 1991, this UK-based centre was the first of its kind in a British university. It focuses on naval, imperial, and commercial maritime history – with a strong postgraduate research community and visiting scholar collaborations.
Maritime Humanities Network (UK & international)
A multidisciplinary initiative linking maritime historians, literary scholars, geographers, and anthropologists to explore human-sea relations. It encourages experimental and creative approaches to maritime study.
PortCityFutures (Europe)
A collaborative academic platform exploring the relationship between cities, ports, and cultural heritage. Based in the Netherlands, it brings together historians, designers, and urbanists to study port identities and transformation.
Maritime Asia Heritage Survey (MAHS)
An academic-led effort to document maritime heritage sites across Asia using digital tools, satellite imaging, and fieldwork. It connects universities, local communities, and researchers working on coastal history and preservation.
This list will expand over time, especially as new networks emerge across Latin America, Africa, the Pacific, and digital research spaces.
1. Why are academic networks important for the development of maritime knowledge?
2. How can these networks support inclusion and innovation in maritime studies?
