BOP Consulting and Raybel Charters were commissioned by the Heritage Fund and National Historic Ships UK to undertake an in-depth study of the maritime heritage sector.

The research was commissioned to gain a deeper understanding of the conditions and needs within the sector, and was published in April 2024.

Report findings

·  The Heritage Fund and the National Heritage Memorial Fund are receiving an increasing number of applications from historic vessels, raising concerns that a greater number of ships are falling into disrepair.

·  There could be over 300 vessels on the National Historic Ships register that are ‘at risk’ and need grant support to bring them back into decent condition.

·  Facilities to carry out conservation work are becoming increasingly difficult to find, and finding permanent berths is a huge challenge.

·  The skills required to conserve and restore historic ships are disappearing, whilst apprenticeships and accredited training don’t fit into standardised training modules,

·  The cost and availability of materials (steel price fluctuations, lack of sustainable traditional boatbuilding timbers, high energy costs) is a further challenge, whilst climate change both impacts and is impacted by heritage ships.

Report recommendations

1.     The Heritage Fund should form long-term relationships with organisations in the maritime heritage sector. A one-off grant to ‘save’ or restore a boat should not the end of the story - ship owners need timely and regular investment. The opportunity to come back in for new projects is essential if historic ships are going to carry on being used for community benefit.

2.     NHMF should continue to prioritise ‘at risk’ vessels on the National Historic Fleet. The resources for NHS to complete the ongoing review of the NHF, which is behind schedule, should be made available. 

3.     The Heritage Fund should continue to focus on a wider sense of community value when assessing maritime projects, not just a ship’s heritage significance and condition.

4.     The Fund should make regular operational and maintenance support available, supporting periodic repair work that is beyond the capacity of volunteer-led organisations. And it should be open to organisations coming back in with new ideas for community projects.

5.     There should be no changes in NHMF and Heritage Fund policies on not funding vessels in private ownership.

6.     The Heritage Fund should consider running a dedicated Maritime Heritage strategic initiative, with a potential investment of around £25m. This could be focussed on the need for a comprehensive skills and training programme; and/or a broader ‘ships in place’ scheme, which would incorporate investment in facilities such as heritage docks, harbours, boatyards and wharves, as well as visitor facilities, interpretation and community engagement, alongside vessels.