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From sailing ships to steam power: how the Industrial Revolution changed life at sea forever

The shift from wind to fossil fuels was far from smooth. As shipping tries to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, can we learn from fuel transitions of the past?

In pictures: a new spar for Cutty Sark

An endangered craft, specialist skills and a complex installation: discover how a 32-foot yard was made for Cutty Sark’s mizzen mast

Safeguarding Tresco's guardians: the Valhalla Collection

Safeguarding Tresco’s guardians: the story of the Valhalla collection

The mystery of the Mary Celeste

A brigantine found abandoned in the middle of the Atlantic, its crew never seen again... discover the enduring maritime mystery of the Mary Celeste

Remembering the Sea Empress oil spill

Cliff Benson reflects on how efforts to save oiled sea birds inspired a lifetime's dedication to wildlife protection

Cutty Sark’s new binnacle: charting a course for heritage crafts

A navigational case shines a light on traditional skills – and prompts intriguing questions into the tea clipper’s history

HMS Captain: Britain's forgotten maritime disaster

The historian leading the search for HMS Captain questions why the sinking of 'one of the finest ships in the world' is not better known today.

A playful painting with a pressing problem: help preserve 'The Paddle Steamer "Rob Roy" Aground’

Learn more about this comic scene with a surprising back story – and discover how your support helps care for the national collection.

The bombing of Rainbow Warrior: 40 years on

Forty years ago, the attack on the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior and the death of photographer Fernando Pereira caused international outrage.

Maritime history

Ships and boats